With the World Cup in Qatar fast-approaching, we’ve put together a guide to the eight host venues for the winter showpiece, with Education City Stadium in focus this time.
This article was originally published on 22 September 2022
Education City Stadium will host eight matches during the FIFA World Cup, including six group games along with one Round of 16 knockout match and one Quarter-final knockout game during Qatar 2022.
Purpose built for this World Cup, the Education City Stadium's ultra-modern design blends seamlessly with traditional Islamic architecture and it is based, as the name suggests, in a dynamic learning hub for students and academics across the Arab World.
| 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 Education City Stadium?
Education City Stadium is based in Al Rayyan, considered part of the Metropolitan Doha area. The city and its suburbs comprise the largest population centre in Qatar outside of Doha. Al Rayyan is also home to the Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar's national stadium, as well as the Qatar Science & Technology Park and the Aspire Zone – a 250-hectare sporting complex.
When was the Education City Stadium built?
Work began on the Education City Stadium in 2016 in preparation for this tournament and it was completed in time for the opening on 15th June 2020. Fenwick Iribarren Architects were the designers of this fantastic arena. On the exterior, triangles create complex diamond-like geometrical patterns that sparkle as the sun moves across the sky, while at night, a digital light show illuminates the facade – giving fans a memorable surprise performance.
Key stadium details:
| Stadium name: | Education City Stadium |
| Where: | Al Rayyan, Qatar |
| Tenants: | None |
| Capacity: | 40,000 |
| Opening date: | 15th June 2020 |
What is the capacity of Education City Stadium?
The capacity of Education City Stadium for the 2022 World Cup will be 40,000. The stadium's modular upper tier will be removed after the tournament, and it will become a sporting hub for the local community, including students and faculty from nearby universities. The stadium was the first Qatar 2022 tournament venue to achieve a five-star design and build rating, while it houses a state-of-the-art cooling technology for the benefit of fans, players and officials.
How big is the pitch at Education City Stadium?
The dimensions of the pitch at Education City Stadium are 105 x 68 metres.
Who plays at Education City Stadium?
There is no sitting tenant at the stadium, however, it is located within several university campuses at the Qatar Foundation's Education City and, following the FIFA World Cup, the stadium will retain 25,000 seats and will be used by university athletic teams.
What World Cup 2022 matches will be played at Education City Stadium?
| Date | Match number | Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | KO time | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd November | 6 | D | Denmark | v | Tunisia | 13:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 24th November | 14 | H | Uruguay | v | South Korea | 13:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 26th November | 22 | F | Poland | v | Saudi Arabia | 13:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 28th November | 30 | H | South Korea | v | Ghana | 13:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 30th November | 38 | D | Tunisia | v | France | 15:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 2nd December | 46 | H | South Korea | v | Portugal | 15:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 6th December | 55 | Round of 16 | Winners Group F | Replace Me | Runners-up Group E | 15:00 | Education City Stadium |
| 6th December | 58 | Quarter-final | Winners Match 53 | Replace Me | Winners Match 54 | 15:00 | Education City Stadium |
What other major events have taken place at Education City Stadium?
The stadium was inaugurated in June 2020 during a virtual event that paid tribute to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. It also featured at the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup (held in February 2021), including hosting the final between Bayern Munich and Mexican side UANL, with the Germans winning 1-0. The venue has also hosted games during the 2020 AFC Champions League and the FIFA Arab Cup in 2021.
