The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is, on the whole, unfathomable. The mind boggles at an expenditure of $200 billion, while a current reported death toll of over 1,400 migrants is like combining the casualties of the Falklands War and 2011 Egyptian revolution. All this to kick that ball around.
It feels almost shameful, like a morbid fascination, to look at the byproduct of it, but in the Qatari sands these pharaonic stadiums are rising. In fact, an entire city — Lusail and its showpiece 86,000-seat venue — is being built from scratch, a sort of Lovecraftian horror where the Lusail Iconic Stadium lies, a visceral nightmare corpse-city with sprinklers feeding a small patch of grass that gives way to arid wilds that fade into reddish yellow perpetuity.
Here are the latest images of the eight venues. Two of them (Al Janoub Stadium and Khalifa International Stadium) have been completed.
Qatar 2022 World Cup Stadium Progress: Latest Photos
These images have been captured from the Road to 2022 YouTube account.
Lusail Iconic Stadium
Capacity: 86,250
Location: Lusail
Finished Rendering:
استوحي تصميم استاد لوسيل، الذي ستبلغ طاقته الاستيعابية ٨٠ ألف مقعد، من الفنار العربي أو الفانوس، كما تعكس واجهته الذهبية النقوش بالغة الدقة على أواني الطعام التقليدية.
ويستضيف في ٢٠٢٢ المباراتين الافتتاحية والنهائية لبطولة كأس العالم لكرة القدم الأولى في العالم العربي.
pic.twitter.com/Tu2IAlPXMO— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022) July 4, 2019
Al Bayt Stadium
Capacity: 60,000
Location: Al Khor
Finished Rendering:
Qatar unveils proposed venue for 2022 World Cup semi-final. 60,000-seater Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor City: pic.twitter.com/3RXrgrpbpZ
— Bryan Swanson (@skysports_bryan) June 24, 2014
Al Rayyan Stadium
Capacity: 44,750
Location: Al Rayyan
Finished Rendering:
This is how Al Rayyan Stadium's seats will look like. They will carry the colors of @AlrayyanSC pic.twitter.com/b7ApNor3xg
— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022) October 14, 2018
Al Janoub Stadium (Finished)
Capacity: 40,000
Location: Al Wakrah
Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah City officially opened last night, three-and-a-half years ahead of the 2022 #WorldCup.And it is looking pic.twitter.com/qmxkbFfLlM
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) May 17, 2019
Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah City
2nd tournament-ready venue for #Qatar2022Designed by legendary architect Zaha Hadid
40,000-capacity stadium will host matches up to quarter-finals stage in 2022 pic.twitter.com/wzkgOJ9qQs
— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022) July 8, 2019
Education City Stadium
Capacity: 45,350
Location: Doha
Finished Rendering:
Qatar unveils latest 2022 World Cup stadium design: @QF Stadium in Education City, called a “diamond in the desert” pic.twitter.com/sZxgnsAJCX
— Ahmed Al Omran (@ahmed) December 2, 2014
Khalifa International Stadium (Finished)
Capacity: 40,000
Location: Doha
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Location: Doha
Finished Rendering:
Meet Ras Abu Aboud Stadium – a fully recyclable facility that will be disassembled straight after #Qatar2022.
It will be the first demountable tournament venue in FIFA World Cup™ history!#seeyouin2022 pic.twitter.com/IKjdZ9d3mv— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022) June 12, 2019
Al Thumama Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Location: Doha
Finished Rendering:
| @roadto2022 has unveiled the design of their sixth stadium for the 2022 @FIFAWorldCup - Al Thumama Stadium. pic.twitter.com/qdYLNBRMgi
— Asian Football Feast (@AsianFballFeast) August 20, 2017