Qatar unveils Al Rayyan, fifth World Cup stadium

The fifth proposed stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Al Rayyan Stadium, has been released by Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, ArchDaily reports.

London-based Pattern Architects is the team behind the design. Al Rayyan Stadium seats 40,000 spectators, and much of the material to build it will be scavenged from the former Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, which will be demolished to make way for Al Rayyan.

In a press release, the supreme committee said that the façade is inspired by Qatari culture, formed of seven abstract patterns which “echo decorative motifs found in Islamic architecture.”

Dune-shaped structures surrounding the stadium will house hospitality areas, concessions, and other services. Within range of the stadium will be a mosque, aquatics center, athletic track, cricket pitch, tennis courts, and a hockey pitch, making the stadium a sports complex which can continue to be used after the games.

The stadium itself is also planned to be frequently used post-World Cup—it will be used as the home of the Al Rayyan Sports Club. The upper-tier will be removed and donated to “nations in need of sporting infrastructure,” the committee says in a release, reducing the stadium’s capacity to 21,000 seats.