photos:Inside Qatar’s first completed air-conditioned 2022 World Cup venue - the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha

 The 40,000-seat venue, first built in 1976, has undergone a £70m renovation and represents a win for an organising committee beset by controversy

The first of at least eight venues for Qatar’s controversial 2022 World Cup is set to hold its first match, the final of the country’s most prestigious domestic tournament.

Khalifa International Stadium, complete with state of the art cooling technology that was key to the Arab nation’s successful bid, will host Friday's 2017 Emir Cup final between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan.

First built in 1976, the 40,000-seat venue has undergone a renovation estimated at£70million and represents a win for an organising committee beset by controversy.

During the World Cup in five years, the stadium will host matches up to the quarter-final stage but other stadiums are still a long way off.

The 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium, due to host the opening match of the tournament and the final, is among several venues not due for completion until 2021 while some facilities are still to be confirmed.


However, the secretary general of the organising committee, Hassan Al Thawadi, is eager to point at the Khalifa stadium as a sign of what’s to come.

"The completion of our first stadium more than five years before the Qatar World Cup begins is an important milestone that reflects our determination to deliver a tournament the entire Arab world is proud to be a part of,” he said.

"As we promised in our bid, our innovative stadiums offer an unrivalled experience to fans and players alike. I'm proud we can show these off to the world and welcome fans with the hospitality this World Cup will be remembered for."


There is no denying the Khalifa venue, part of the Doha Sports City complex and upgraded from the stadium that hosted the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final, is an impressive start.

Organisers say the air-conditioning will keep the pitch at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius and the stands at 24-28 degrees year-round while using 40 per cent less energy than other cooling methods.
Among the other changes to the venue are new changing rooms, media tribune, VIP areas and sports museum, as well as a new roof design that covers all seats.

The scene of many of Qatar's greatest sporting moments, including its 1992 Gulf Cup victory, the stadium is also scheduled to host the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships.

The construction process to this points has seen the spotlight cast on Qatar and the tournament organisers for all the wrong reasons.