Sports Desk
DOHA: The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), the organisation responsible for delivering the infrastructure required to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ Qatar, today launched its largest ever stadium scale model when it unveiled the Al Thumama Stadium design to crowds at a ceremony at Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA).
The stunning scale model, which will be on public display until 15 September 2017, is located in the airport’s main departures hall close to the Untitled Lamp Bear artwork by Swiss artist Urs Fischer, a now world-renowned artistic landmark that is seen by the 37m travellers that pass through the state-of-the-art airport each year.
During the unveiling ceremony, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker and Eng. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport, welcomed H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the SC, Eng. Hilal Al Kuwari, Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office at the SC, Nasser Al Khater, Assistant Secretary General for Tournament Affairs at the SC, Ibrahim M. Jaidah, the renowned Qatari architect behind the stadium’s design, Yasir Al Jamal, Vice Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office at the SC, Fatma Al Nuaimi, Communications Director at the SC, Mr. Celali Arslan and Mr. Burak Guresci Deputy Head of Mission and Commercial Counsellor (respectively) at the Turkish Embassy in Doha, alongside other representatives of both organisations and members of the media.
The Al Thumama Stadium design was officially launched by the SC on Sunday 20 August 2017. It is the sixth stadium design to be unveiled, and follows Al Wakrah Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Rayyan Stadium, and Qatar Foundation Stadium. Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar’s first tournament ready venue, was officially opened by H.H. the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at the Emir Cup Final in May 2017.
Speaking on the launch, H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, SC Secretary General, said: “Hamad International Airport will play a major role in 2022 and be the main gateway for over a million players and fans who we’re expecting will visit Qatar when the tournament kicks off. As the first point of contact for the 37m passengers who currently land in HIA each year, it already plays a major role in introducing Qatar to the world, and will increasingly do so as the country continues to attract more tourists and we get closer to the tournament. As such, I could not think of a better place to launch our largest stadium scale model other than HIA, as we continue to show the progress we are making and demonstrate the amazing stadiums and tournament features fans and players alike can expect when they visit us in 2022.”
Eng. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA, said: “We are delighted to have the Al Thumama Stadium scale model on display at the five-star Hamad International Airport, and to be showcasing its unique design to Qatar’s residents and the millions who travel through our airport each year. This stadium is yet another demonstration of Qatar’s readiness to host an amazing tournament and come 2022, Hamad International Airport will be ready to open its doors to the eager players and fans wanting to witness an historic first Middle Eastern World Cup”.
The stadium’s design is based on the gahfiya headdress worn by men across the Arab world, an essential component of traditional Arab dress that holds in place the ghutra and aghal, which together form a symbol of dignity and independence. The stadium’s design, which was envisioned by renowned Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who is also behind some of Qatar’s most iconic architecture, is steeped in tradition and history that will resonate with Arabs across the region.
Al Thumama Stadium is set for completion in 2020 and will host 40,000 fans during the group stage and quarterfinal matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™. The stadium, which will be reduced to 20,000 seats in legacy mode, will be equipped with both world-class standards of disabled access and the SC’s revolutionary cooling technology to enable year-round sporting activities after the tournament. The precinct will also feature a boutique hotel and a range of amenities. The SC is working closely alongside the local community to ensure the precinct meets its needs long after the final whistle in 2022.
The stadium is being built by a Qatar-Turkey joint venture (JV) between AlJaber Engineering and Turkey’s largest construction company, Tekfen, with enabling works successfully completed in 2016. Architectural Design Consultant Heerim, who recently worked on the stunning Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan, will also be working on the stadium.
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