Ikoli Victor
Doha
Following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar will continue to host several major events, and also plans to bid for the Olympics which will all but change its dismantling legacy, according to Mohamed Nabeel Al Atwaan, FM Director, Stadium 974 Operations at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).
Stadium 974 (previously known as the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium) was clearly designed with Qatar's future needs in mind. The unique 40,000-seat stadium designed and built with 974 recycled shipping containers to pay tribute to the site's industrial history, will be completely dismantled after the tournament. The materials produced will then be reused in other construction projects in less-developed countries. The site will be repurposed as a waterfront development, making it the first temporary venue in World Cup history.
The 974-seater stadium will host six group matches and a round of 16 match, with Mexico and Poland set to play the first game on November 22, followed by Portugal-Ghana four days later.
Mohamed Nabeel Al Atwaan stated during an Ibtechar roundtable discussion on 'Delivering Innovation Through 2022 - World Cup' that once a decision is made by higher authorities, it will take approximately 12 months to dismantle the stadium, adding that there are numerous international interests for the demountable stadium.
"We will conduct our assessment of the dismantling period or process, which can be completed in 12 months; however, until the decision of the legacy option on which country the stadium will go, many countries have expressed interest in acquiring it after the Arab Cup."
The final decision has not been made, and discussions with FIFA and the government are ongoing in order to reach a firm decision after the World Cup. However, the legacy planning may change as Qatar bids for various tournaments such as the AFC Asian Cup 2023, which Qatar is also bidding for, and Qatar won the bid to host the 2030 Asian Games, so the legacy dismantling is not yet decided and when we will begin the dismantling process."
He went on to say that this World Cup will be the most sustainable yet, with five sustainability pillars and over 70 initiatives incorporated into the overall planning. From the start, sustainability was at the heart of the planning, design, delivery, and legacy.
According to the official, Stadium 974 is the most talked about and innovative. “Using 974 containers which can be fully dismantled and used for various purposes or recycled into other forms, it is one of the best examples of sustainability, a legacy that will be remembered for a long time to come.”
The 2022 World Cup will pave the way for the 2030 Asian Games, and Qatar has expressed interest in hosting the Asian Football Cup 2023, as well as potentially bidding for the Olympics again.
The official went on to say that for the other six venues outside of Khalifa International Stadium, they will remove and reduce stadium capacity to meet local needs, which has been discussed and coordinated with the Qatar Football Association and Qatar Stars League.
He stated that the iconic Lusail Stadium, which will host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final and other matches, will be converted into a non-sporting facility following the tournament's completion as a legacy of the tournament, with several components suitable for the Lusail City Master Plan.World Cup 2022 fixtures at Stadium 974
November 22: Group C, Mexico v Poland (7pm)
November 24: Group H, Portugal v Ghana (7pm)
November 26: Group D, France v Denmark (7pm)
November 28: Group G, Brazil v Switzerland (7pm)
November 29: Group C, Poland v Argentina (10pm)
December 2: Group G, Serbia v Switzerland (10pm)Round of 16December 5: Match 54, Group G winner v Group H runner-up (10pm)
