Qatar’s Supreme Committee takes a look at the World Cup stadiums which will host AFC Champions League games

Three of the World Cup 2022 stadiums in Qatar will host 39 games in the AFC Champions League 2020 in the West Asia zone: Al Janoub, Al Khalifa Internacional and Education City, along with Al Saad’s ground, Jasim Bin Hammad.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, responsible for managing the Qatar 2022 projects, takes a look on its website at the qualities of the three grounds where the AFC Champions League matches will be held:

Al Kalifa International, where the tournament got under way with Group One matches, adding the AFC Champions League to the list of tournaments hosted by the stadium, having been the venue for the final of the Emir of Qatar Cup in 2017, the 2006 Asian Games, the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2019 and the Club World Cup in 2019.

The World Cup stadium was the first to be inaugurated, in 2017, after being redeveloped with additional seats, LED lighting system and a cooling system that ensures the ground can be used all year round.

Located in the Aspire Zone, Qatar’s centre of sporting excellence, Khalifa International Stadium will host matches through to the round of 16, before becoming Qatar’s national stadium after the World Cup 2022, with a capacity of 40,000.

Al Janoub and Education City

The stadium of Al Janoub, known for its design inspired by traditional boats and Qatar’s seafaring past, was inaugurated hosting the Emir of Qatar Cup. It also hosted the semi-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup in December last year, along with a number of matches in the Qatar national league.

The stadium is in the city of Al Wakrah and has a 40,000 seat capacity and was the first to be purpose built for Qatar 2022. It features a retractable roof and a cooling system.

At the World Cup, Al Janoub will host games in the group stages and then through to the round of 16. Following the tournament, the stadium’s capacity will be reduced by half, with 20,000 seats donated to football development projects in Qatar and around the world.

The World Cup venue Education City hosted its first official match last month with the season opener of the Qatar Stars League 2020/2021, having been inaugurated in June of this year with a virtual event, a tribute to those working in the front line against the coronavirus pandemic around the world.

Located in Education City, linked to the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, the ground holds 40,000 fans and is known as the Diamond in the Desert. It will host matches at the World Cup from the group stages through to the quarter-finals.

Education City Stadium has been given a five-star design and build sustainability rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), while the ground also boasts a cooling system.