Qatar’s stadium construction for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are on track and on schedule, a senior tournament organiser said. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary- General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) said the nearly four-month long siege has not affected tournament-related construction projects.
“Our projects are on track and on schedule. The projects are delivered on time. This is one of the milestone (Al Thumama Stadium). Recently we finished another milestone with the opening of the Khalifa International Stadium,” Thawadi said while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the opening of the design of Al Thumama Stadium at a ceremony at Hamad International Airport. The Al Thumama Stadium design was officially launched by the SC on August 20. It is the sixth stadium design to be unveiled, and follows Al Wakrah Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Rayyan Stadium, and Qatar Foundation Stadium.
The stadium, which is designed by prominent Qatari architect Ibrahim Al Jaidah (pictured), will host 40,000 fans and is set for completion in 2020. Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar’s first tournament venue, was officially opened by the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Emir Cup Final in May 2017. “In terms of stadium progress or stadium construction and infrastructure requirements for the World Cup, progress is on the right track,” he added in response to a question whether the blockade has delayed World Cup related projects.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAEs and Egypt cut ties with the World Cup host triggering a political crisis in the Gulf. Qatar aims to host the FIFA mega event at eight stadiums and so far the 2022 hosts have unveiled plans of six stadiums. The plans of the remaining two stadiums designs will be thrown open to the public next year. “We are on track to complete two more stadiums in 2018. One stadium design will come out this year and the next one will follow. And as I said all our projects are on schedule,” added Thawadi.
The Qatari official said the FIFA mega event will bridge the gap between the East and the West. “Every tournament has its own unique way and flavour representing its culture. The 2022 FIFA World Cup is about the Middle-East culture. It’ll bring together the East and West. “From the beginning, we’ve been telling that this World Cup is for the Middle East and Arab world. And it’s critical to showcase the richness of the Arab heritage, culture hospitality to the outside,” Al Thawadi said.
source: The Peninsula
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