Fourth World Cup stadium ready for inauguration on 18 December
The inauguration of Al Rayyan stadium comes after the opening of Al Khalifa International (May 2017), Al Janoub (May 2019) and Education City (June 2020).
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), responsible for managing the projects relating to Qatar 2022, has announced that the inauguration of the World Cup stadium Al Rayyan will take place on 18 December of this year, coinciding with the final of the Emir of Qatar Cup, to be played between Al Sadd SC and Al Arabi SC.
This will be the fourth World Cup stadium to be inaugurated, following Al Khalifa International (May 2017), Al Janoub (May 2019) and Education City (June 2020). Al Rayyan will be the second stadium inaugurated this year.
This latest opening will leave four stadiums, destined to host games at the World Cup 2022, left to be inaugurated: Al Thumama, Lusail, Ras Abo Aboud and Al Bayt, which have yet to be completed.
Al Rayyan stadium
It is worth noting that Al Rayyan is the only World Cup stadium to bear the name of a Qatari club. It has a capacity of 40,000 spectators and is some 22km from the city of Doha.
The stadium incorporates symbols of Qatari life and culture, with an exterior façade that contains artistic elements symbolising Qatar’s history and the beauty and diversity of its wildlife; what’s more the stadium’s design reflects the splendour of desert life, as well as the beauty of the sand dunes.
The announcement of the inauguration date for the Al Rayyan stadium comes after all the construction work was finalised, including the exterior façade, the installation of the seating and the laying of the pitch.