The largest stadium in Qatar has been listed among 23 stadiums competing for the Stadium of the Year Award.
StadiumDB, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to football arenas, has nominated Lusail Stadium for the annually-held “largest online stadium awards.”
Qatar’s biggest World Cup venue, the Lusail Stadium, has been shortlisted among the likes of 23 other arenas from around the world.
Holding a capacity of 88,966, Qatar’s ‘desert gem’ is featured as one of the three stadiums from the Arab Gulf region.
Both Iraq’s Al-Zawraa Stadium and Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium have been included alongside Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority Stadium.
Within the 23-nominated list, China dominates the nominations with 12 arenas making the cut.
Chengdu Fenghuangshan Football Stadium, Danzhou Sports Center Stadium, Kuishan Sports Center Stadium, and Lanzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium are just some of the Chinese venues named.
From the United States, CityPark, GEODIS Park, and Snapdragon Stadium have been designated in the race for recognition.
Voting on the website is open to the public and will last until midnight on March 14.
Spain’s Estadio El Sadar stadium took home the prize in the 2022 vote.
What makes Lusail Stadium so special?
The design of Lusail Stadium, built to be futuristic, is motivated by the contrast between light and shadow that defines the fanar lantern. It showcases modernity with a hint of cultural history.
Intricate artistic designs on bowls and other vessels typical of the golden period of art and craftsmanship in the Arab and Islamic world are also echoed in the stadium’s shape and front.
Grand final
Lusail hosted ten games during the World Cup, more than any other venue in Qatar. In addition to the six group stage matches, it also hosted knockout games in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and final.
On November 22, Saudi Arabia and Argentina squared off in Group C for the stadium’s first World Cup game, a historic match that saw the Saudis dominate the champions in the early stages of the tournament.
Hub for everyone
With the World Cup now over, the stadium is now set to be repurposed.
Numerous public amenities will be built around the stadium, including residences, retail stores, restaurants, health care facilities, and schools.
The portable upper tier will be put to fresh use and the seats will be given to another country to help boost its athletic facilities.
The stadium’s future is as a community centre with housing units, stores, cafes, schools, and medical facilities, in line with sustainable development.
For new homes, the upper tier will serve as outdoor terracing.
Environmentally friendly
Water recycling techniques and sustainable building methods were used in the development of Lusail stadium.
By using reclaimed water to irrigate plants surrounding the venue, the facility conserved 40% more water than typical stadium developments.
The roof, which is made of a cutting-edge substance called Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), shields the stadium from heated winds, keeps out dust, lets in enough light for the pitch to develop, and provides shade to lessen the strain on the cooling system.
The stadium was also awarded a five-star grade for Design & Build and Construction under the Global Sustainability Assessment System as a consequence of these eco-friendly construction techniques.