The Qatar Foundation Stadium in the capital Doha is one of five stadiums that will be under construction by the end of this year as Qatar ramps up its preparations for staging the Middle East's first ever World Cup finals.

The Stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 and, as with all the venues, incorporate the innovative cooling technology that has garnered much media attention since Qatar won the rights to host the event in 2010.

The plans were released by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

The Qatar Foundation Stadium is one of five stadiums that will be under construction by the end of 2014 ©SC



"I am pleased that on the fourth anniversary of Qatar winning the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy is able to stand alongside one of the most prominent Qatari institutions to reveal the design of the Qatar Foundation Stadium," said Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

"This is another key milestone in our preparations for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and is the fourth stadium design we have unveiled following in the past thirteen months.

"The Qatar Foundation Stadium and Health and Wellness Precinct will not only allow us to host an amazing World Cup but also leave a genuine legacy in Qatar well beyond 2022."

Madrid-based RFA Fenwick Iribarren Architects is the design consultant for the Stadium, while Qatari company Astad Project Management will serve as the project manager.

The design of the Stadium will see light filtered through complex geometrical patterns in tribute to Islamic architecture.

The Qatar Foundation Stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 during the World Cup with this reduced to 25,000 on its conclusion ©SC



The venue is expected to be completed in 2018.

Post-tournament, the venue capacity will be reduced to 25,000 while the natural grass pitch used during the tournament will be replaced by an artificial one.

The unveiling of these designs comes just a week after plans for the renovation of the Khalifa International Stadium were released.

They also follow FIFA President Sepp Blatter's reiteration of his unwavering support for the tournament during an Asian Football Confederation meeting in Manila last week, despite the ongoing uncertainty and allegations surrounding the event.

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