Qatar has built a 40,000 seater stadium that will be transported to another country after the World Cup
Qatar has built a new 40,000-seater stadium for the 2022 World Cup that will be completely dismantled after the football tournament ends.
Stadium 974, in the Ras Abu Aboud region of Doha, is made from 974 shipping containers which will be reused after the World Cup.
There are reportedly plans for it to be used in Maldonado, Uruguay to host the 2030 world cup, if the country's bid to host is successful, that is.
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The stadium is the first fully demountable football venue, boasting a unique and daring design on the Arabian Gulf.
Speaking about the unique stadium, where seven matches will be played at World Cup, the official Qatar 2022 page on the stadium reads: "This unique venue pays tribute to Qatar’s long-standing tradition of worldwide trade and seafaring. Not only is 974 the international dialling code for Qatar, but it is also the exact number of shipping containers used in construction.
"Situated in the portside area and in sight of Doha’s coastal cityscape, fans at Stadium 974 will feel the cool breeze as it rolls in from the Arabian Gulf."
Qatar 2022 organisers also said the containers used in the stadium structure will help develop a waterfront facility as well as a dynamic hub for businesses after the World Cup.
They added: "This new concept in venue development ensures that while Stadium 974’s physical presence may be temporary, its legacy will be everlasting."
Games have already been held there, with the stadium having hosted five games during the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, including a semi-final and the third-place play-off.
And for the World Cup, which is just a week away, Stadium 974 will host six group games and a round of 16 tie.
Highlights include Mexico vs Poland on 22 November, Portugal vs Ghana on 24 November, holders France vs Denmark on 26 November, and one of the pre-tournament favourites Brazil vs Switzerland on 28 November.
Unfortunately, neither England or Wales will play at the stadium, with the round of 16 game not involving teams from the home nations' group.
However, the construction of stadiums for the Qatar 2022 World Cup have been fuelled with controversy since the country was awarded the competition in 2010.
As reported by The Guardian last year, it was claimed that 6,500 South Asian migrant workers have died since Qatar won the World Cup bid.
It was reported that 37 people died at World Cup stadium construction sites, with 34 of those deaths being classed as 'non-work related'. But the Qatari government said that 20 percent of migrant workers were employed in construction, with work-related deaths accounting for less than 10 percent.
A spokesperson added: "“The mortality rate among these communities is within the expected range for the size and demographics of the population. However, every lost life is a tragedy, and no effort is spared in trying to prevent every death in our country."
Callum Jones