The countdown is very much on to the World Cup in Qatar with both the hosts and the participating nations making their final preparations for the showpiece tournament.
This article was originally published on 22 September 2022
Qatar is set to become the first Arab nation to host the World Cup and they have spared no expense in getting their eight stadiums ready for the feast of football that begins on 20th November.
The initial intention had been to expand and renovate the old Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium but that plan was shelved and an entirely new arena was instead built on the same site, with around 90 per cent of the rubble from the demolition of the original arena being reused.
The capacity of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, also known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium, will be 40,000 for the World Cup, although that will be reduced to 21,000 following the tournament.
| What | World Cup |
| Where | Qatar |
| When | 20th November - 18th December 2022 |
| How to watch | All matches will be shown on either the BBC or ITV |
| Odds | Brazil 9/2, England 11/2, France 6/1, Argentina 7/1, Spain 8/1 |
Where is the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
The Ahmad bin Ali Stadium is located in the rural district of Umm Al Afaei in the municipality of Al Rayyan on the outskirts of Doha. The stadium is the most westerly of the eight venues to be used at the World Cup and is around 20km from the centre of the capital.
When was the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium built?
The original stadium was built in 2003 with the last match played there in 2014 before it was demolished the following year. The final designs for the brand new multi-purpose stadium were presented in 2015, with foundation work on the new project beginning towards the end of 2016.
When was the Ahmad Bin Ali opened?
The official opening of the rebuilt Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium was 18th December 2020, two years exactly before the 2022 World Cup final, with the date also coinciding with Qatar National Day.
The 2020 Amir Cup final marked the inauguration of the stadium, a game in which Al-Sadd ran out 2-1 winners over Al-Arabi to lift the trophy for the 17th time. Al-Sadd would go on to defend the title the following year against this stadium's tenants, Al-Rayyan, courtesy of a penalty shootout win.
Key stadium details:
| Stadium name: | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| Where: | Al Rayyan, 20km west of Doha |
| Tenants: | Al-Rayyan |
| Capacity: | 40,000 |
| Opening date: | 18th December 2020 |
What is the capacity of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is one of the smaller venues to be used for the 2022 World Cup as the capacity will be around 40,000, although that will be reduced to around 21.000 once the tournament is over.
How big is the pitch at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
The dimensions of the pitch at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium are 105 x 69 metres.
Who plays at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
The stadium usually plays host to Al-Rayyan SC, who play their football in the Qatar Stars League. However, Al-Rayyan plays multiple other sports such as futsal, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, swimming and table tennis.
What World Cup matches will be played at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
| Date | Match number | Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | KO time | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21st November | 4 | B | USA | v | Wales | 22:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 23rd November | 9 | F | Belgium | v | Canada | 22:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 25th November | 17 | B | Wales | v | Iran | 13:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 27th November | 25 | E | Japan | v | Costa Rica | 13:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 29th November | 33 | B | Wales | v | England | 22:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 1st December | 41 | F | Croatia | v | Belgium | 18:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
| 3rd December | 50 | Round of 16 | Winners Group C | v | Runners-up Group D | 22:00 | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
What other major events have taken place at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium?
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium opened its doors by hosting the Emir of Qatar Cup final in 2020 and just a little over two months later, it was one of two venues used for the 2020 World Club Cup. The first two rounds were played at the ground, as well as the match for fifth place, before Bayern Munich booked their place in the final there by beating Al Ahly 2-0 in the semi-finals.
Four matches at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup were also played at the venue last December.
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