2022 World Cup: Qatar appoints managers for Al-Wakrah Stadium

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee has appointed the lead project manager and design consultant for Al-Wakrah Stadium, the first of its World Cup 2022 stadiums. Project management and consulting firm KEO International has been appointed project manager while Los Angeles-based Aecom Technology Corp was named as design consultant for the Al-Wakrah Stadium, according to an official statement.

A rendered image of the proposed Al-Wakrah Stadium

The top tiers of the planned 45,000-seat stadium in southern Qatar will be modular and the organisers say that the capacity of the stadium will be brought down to 20,000; they have also pledged to remove, donate and re-construct the remaining 25,000 seats in countries that need sporting infrastructure.

“This is an important step for us as we deliver on our innovative hosting concept,” Hassan al-Thawadi, Secretary General for the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said in the statement.

Construction of the first stadium for the 2022 World Cup is slated to start in 2013, with construction of the first stadium scheduled to be completed by 2015.

Meanwhile, prominent Qatari developer Barwa Real Estate announced plans to build $5.5 billion luxury island off the coast of Doha. The island, called ‘Oryx Island’ will feature luxury villas, a water park and five floating hotels, all for the purpose of catering to the needs of fans who will throng the country during the 2022 World Cup. In all, 25,000 fans would be able to stay on Oryx Island, according to Barwa’s Chief Executive Abdulla Al Subaie.