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Education City Stadium: A Sustainable Sporting Icon

World's First Five-Star GSAS Sports Complex

Education City Stadium is another stadium for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was completed in 2020. This stadium has a beautiful diamond-shaped facade that dazzles during the day and at night with colorful lighting. Pursuing the World Cup, the stadium’s 40,000-seat capability declined to 20,000. Education City Stadium is an example of a sustainable stadium worldwide by using intelligent building systems, energy control, and consumption management monitoring. Follow the article to learn more about Education City Stadium.

Where is Education City Stadium?

Education City Stadium is located among the academic sites in the Qatar Education City Complex, 2 kilometers from Doha.

Access to Education City Stadium

Education City Stadium is easily accessible by cars, taxis, and the subway. The Education City Metro Station, under the Arabic name “Al -Madin al -Talimi”, is about a 5 -minute walk from the stadium. To reach this station you have to ride the green line of the subway, extending from the center of Doha to the east. The local tram system is also available in the Education City, which is used for traffic between the stadium and other Education City.

Access to Education City Stadium
Access to Education City Stadium

Introducing Education City Stadium

Education City Stadium is one of the newly completed Qatar stadiums that was announced on June 6 with a special television program. He also stared at the third stadium ready for the 2022 World Cup. The first football match was held a month later on September 3 at the stadium.

Education City Stadium has received three important awards, including five-star design and construction, a Class A rank in construction management, as well as the seasonal energy efficiency index from the Global Stability Evaluation System (GSAS). These awards are a testament to Qatar’s commitment to providing sustainable infrastructure for the Future World Cup. In fact, the conscious design and construction methods of the stadium have contributed to the reduction of carbon footprints during and afterward.

Like all Qatar World Cup stadiums, the stadium uses advanced cooling systems so that players and fans have no problem during the games. In addition, disabled fans will have good access to the stadium; especially since the stadium position in the Education City is selected due to the accessibility of all fans. Those who are looking for more convenience can watch football matches from VIP and Skybox.

To stay near the stadium, you can book your stay at the Premier Inn Doha Education City Hotel. This three-star hotel is just a few kilometers from the stadium and you have to take a taxi for traffic. There are also many other hotels away from the stadium, which are good options for staying.

Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium

How many people is the capacity of Education City Stadium?

The stadium’s interior has three stories with a capacity of 40,000 spectators. The stadium’s upper story was destroyed after the 2022 World Cup and reducing its capacity to around 20,000 someone. These seats will be donated to developing countries. These seats will be donated to developing countries.

Important games held at Education City Stadium

According to the available information, Education City Stadium was supposed to host the ranking match and the final of the FIFA Club World Cup 2019. But due to the delay in the opening of the stadium, these games were moved to Khalifa International Stadium.

Education City Stadium hosted the Club World Cup and the Asian Champions League in 2022, and 5 Arab Cup games were played in this stadium in 2021. During the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Education City Stadium hosted 6 first group matches, one round-of-16 match, and one quarter-final match.

Education City Stadium's View
Education City Stadium’s View

When and how was Education City Stadium built?

The Education City Stadium project was presented on December 2, 2014, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of Qatar winning the right to host the tournament, and its construction officially began in 2016. Nevertheless, the initial works for the building of the complex, like the hole of more than 650,000 cubic meters, were continuing since 2013.

An incredible discovery happened in February 2016; when, during the excavation, stones 20 to 30 million years old were discovered. Excavations continued up to 17 meters so that the football field would be lower and cooler. In addition, this has had a positive effect on thermal insulation and temperature control.

In July 2018, the main concrete structure was completed, giving an overview of the final shape of the venue. The massive roof of the stadium was put into place in November 2018, and work on the roof and facade of the stadium lasted until July 2019. In November of the same year, the work of installing the seats was finished. Finally, the construction of this complex was finished in June 2020.

The roof of the stadium is covered with metal panels and consists of tensile steel cables. The exterior of the construction is adorned with 5,200 triangles that are related in diamond-like shapes, and their color shifts depending on the angle of the sun. For this reason, this stadium, which shines brilliantly during the day and shines with thousands of diodes at night, is called the “Diamond of the Desert”. Surprisingly, the front of the stadium is outfitted with solar panels that generate 20% of the complex’s energy needs. The existence of such a structure for the facade of the stadium enables better thermal control in the interior and makes it possible to watch the match at a comfortable temperature of 24 to 28 degrees Celsius regardless of the weather.

Education City Stadium's Top-View
Education City Stadium’s Top-View

The neighboring athletic, educational, and medical facilities are powered by the stadium’s solar panels while it is not in use. Education City Stadium saves about 55% more water compared to traditional stadiums due to low-flow pipes. In addition, efficient irrigation design to reduce water consumption is on the agenda. Drought-resistant and indigenous plant species have also been used throughout the stadium’s outer area.

At least 55% of the materials used for the stadium project are from sustainable sources and 28% are recycled construction materials that minimize the carbon footprint. The presence of carbon dioxide sensors in the stadium has the advantage of guaranteeing the quality of ventilation and indoor air.

Education City Stadium facilities

There are green spaces and modern facilities such as a swimming pool, surfing hall, shop, football practice fields, golf course, and medical center around Education City Stadium. All these facilities are constructed according to the principles of sustainability and compatibility with the surroundings.

Education City Stadium has 39 sky boxes (a large private room with a view of the field), each of which accommodates 9 to 36 people. Each skybox has its own kitchen. Also, Education City Stadium has 6 media stands and a conference hall for 150 people.

Education City Stadium's Interior
Education City Stadium’s Interior

Places of interest around Education City Stadium

Education City Stadium is located in a complex of the same name, which houses seven famous universities and advanced research centers. Among the sights of Qatar in this area, we can mention the National Library of Qatar, the City of Education Mosque, and the Quranic Botanical Garden. The golf club in this area is also very suitable for enthusiasts.

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

You may travel through time and see the items Sheikh Faisal amassed in the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum. This museum is regarded as one of the top sights in Doha. This museum has shown about 15,000 historical relics dating from the Jurassic era to the present. It was founded in 1998. Among the works of the museum, we can mention a large number of exquisite Qurans, Kaaba curtains, 700 carpets, and more than 600 antique cars, various clothes from different parts of the world, antique furniture, and musical instruments. Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum is a short drive from Education City.

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

Qatar National Library

Qatar National Library was designed by Rem Koolhaas in a diamond shape with a very large interior. Bookcases are the main part of this building, which form an integral part of its architecture. Thanks to innovative technologies, access to books and library efficiency have increased. Also, tools and equipment at the library’s innovation stations allow visitors to engage in activities such as videography, photography, design, sound editing, and 3D printing.

Al Shaqab Riding Academy

To see a piece of Qatar’s living heritage, head to Al Shaqab Riding Academy with the famous Arabian horses. The aim of this center is to preserve the historical traditions and heritage of Arabian horses; Animals that played an important role in the independence of Qatar and for that reason are highly respected in this country. Home to more than 700 horses, Al Shaqab represents one of the world’s leading equestrian programs based on the three principles of excellence, education, and heritage.

Al Shaqab Riding Academy
Al Shaqab Riding Academy

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