Peter Kovessy / Doha News
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
Two Qatari firms have been brought on to build several training sites around the country ahead of the 2022 World Cup, organizers have announced.
The sites are expected to be located in the vicinities of the Aspire Zone, Qatar University, Doha Golf Course, Al Sailiya and West Bay, among other areas.
They will be used by visiting national football teams as they get ready to compete in the 2022 tournament.
Nakheel Landscapes and Gulf Contracting have been awarded the contracts for the project, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SCDL) announced this week.
So far, the number of training grounds has not been determined.
But FIFA has instructed Russia to build 36 of them ahead of next year’s World Cup. That’s three for each of its 12 stadiums.
Russian LOC via FIFA
Mordovia Arena – Saransk, Russia – April 2017
So far, Qatar is planning on having eight stadiums ready for its World Cup in 2022.
In a statement, Yasir Al Jamal, vice chairman of the Technical Delivery Office at the SCDL, said:
“We’re delighted to begin work on this exciting project, which will guarantee state-of-the-art training facilities for all teams that participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Our goal is to offer the visiting teams the ideal conditions so that they can be at their best level during the tournament, while also building facilities which will offer lasting legacy opportunities for the local community.”
Requirements
According to organizers, the training sites must be completed to FIFA specifications by 2019.
That means Qatar residents will likely see even more construction over the next few years.
The venues must meet several requirements.
Isabell Schulz/Flickr
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
According to FIFA’s criteria for Russia, these include high-quality pitches; a press center that holds at least 100 people; dressing rooms; parking; and spectator areas that accommodate at least 500 fans.
The SCDL said Nakheel Landscapes will build all the training site facilities, including site infrastructure and FIFA-compliant pitches. It will also handle landscaping.
Meanwhile, Gulf Contracting will oversee specialist works for “modular, demountable and pre-fabricated buildings to be used as ancillary facilities and changing rooms.”
Getting ready
With five years to before the World Cup in Qatar, organizers are already hard at work readying eight stadiums for the tournament, including six built completely from scratch.
Its first stadium, Khalifa International, opened to the public this month with great fanfare after undergoing renovations to become World Cup ready.
SCDL
Khalifa International Stadium – 2022 FIFA World Cup venue
The next venues to be completed will be in Al Wakrah and Al Khor (Al Bayt) at the end of next year, with Al Rayyan and Qatar Foundation to follow in 2019.
The designs for the three remaining stadiums in Lusail, Ras Abu Aboud and Al Thumama have yet to be released.
But those buildings should be done by the end of 2020, organizers previously said.
Thoughts?
