Al Bayt Stadium

Al Bayt Stadium stands on the southern edge of Al Khor, about 35 kilometres north of central Doha. It opened on 30 November 2021 for the FIFA Arab Cup and was the second largest venue of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with 68,895 seats.

The name and design come from the bayt al sha'ar, the black and white tents used by the nomadic peoples of Qatar and the Gulf. The outer shell is covered in a striped fabric like a tent, and the inside of the roof is decorated with red patterns taken from the tent's woven lining. The design was led by Dar Al-Handasah.

The stadium hosted the opening match of the 2022 World Cup on 20 November 2022, when Ecuador beat the hosts Qatar 2 to 0, as well as group games, knockout matches and the semi final on 14 December 2022 in which France beat Morocco 2 to 0. A retractable roof covers the pitch, and a cooling system keeps the stands comfortable.

Plans after the tournament were to reduce the capacity to around 32,000 by removing the upper tier and to use the freed space for a five star hotel, shops and sports facilities. The stadium is surrounded by a large park with trees, lakes, walking paths and play areas, open to the local community.

Visitors can see the stadium and its park from the outside. Entry inside is through ticketed matches and events. There is no metro station nearby, so the stadium is best reached by car or taxi from Doha, and dedicated shuttle buses run from metro stations on major match days.

Al Bayt was one of eight stadiums used at the 2022 World Cup and the second largest after Lusail Stadium. During the tournament it held about 60,000 fans, with a gross capacity of 71,000 including 1,000 press seats. Besides the opening match and the semi-final, it hosted a quarter-final.

The building does more than host football. Hotel suites and rooms are built into the stadium, with balconies that look straight onto the pitch, an unusual feature for a World Cup venue. The park beside the stadium opened to the public on Qatar's National Sports Day, 11 February 2020, well before the first match.