Sidra Medicine

Stadium

Khalifa International Stadium was built in 1976, and renovated before reopening in May 2017 for the final of the Amir Cup. Named after the former Amir, HH Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani (grandfather of the current Amir, HH Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani), the stadium has to date hosted matches in the Gulf Cup, the AFC Asian Cup, five matches in the FIFA Club World Cup 2019™, including the Final between Liverpool and Flamengo, and a number of football friendlies. It also hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and the IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2019. The arena’s new ultramodern shape has kept its instantly recognisable dual arches. Inside the stadium, seats are protected from the elements by a canopy, thanks to the installation of a larger roof over the entire spectator area – an intricate net of steel tension cables weighing 4,000 tonnes hold 92 panels in place. Meanwhile LED pitch lighting and digital floodlights add a new dimension to the fan experience – Khalifa International Stadium is the first FIFA World Cup™ venue and the first stadium in the region to use these more sustainable forms of lighting. There is also climate control provided by advanced cooling technologies, promised as part of Qatar’s successful bid, which keeps the pitch at 20°C and the stands at 23°C, using 40% less energy than traditional cooling methods. Even the pitch is new, designed with Qatar’s climate in mind and developed at the Turf Nursery. It was laid in a new world record time of just 13 ½ hours.