Stadium 974 (Arabic: استاد ٩٧٤, romanized: ʾIstād 974, previously known as Ras Abu Aboud Stadium) is a football stadium slated for dismantlement[2] in Ras Abu Aboud, Doha, Qatar, about 10 km east of Doha.[3] Opened 30 November 2021, it was a planned temporary venue, made from 974 recycled shipping containers. The number 974 itself being a reference to Qatar's country calling code.
استاد ٩٧٤ (Arabic) | |
 Exterior view in December 2022 | |
 | |
| Former names | Ras Abu Aboud Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 25°17′24″N 51°33′54″E / 25.290°N 51.565°E |
| Public transit |  Ras Bu Abboud (راس أبو عبود) |
| Capacity | 44,089[1] |
| Record attendance | 44,089 (Poland vs Argentina, 30 November 2022) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 30 November 2021 |
| Architect | Fenwick Iribarren Architects |
The stadium hosted matches during the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, after which dismantlement was planned with the stadium being planned to be moved to Africa and South America, with the land previously held by the stadium being replaced by a waterfront development. However, as of November 2023, this has not happened and the stadium has sat abandoned in its original site.[4] Despite this, it will be used during the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.[5]
Stadium 974 was the first planned temporary venue in FIFA World Cup history.
Design and construction
editThe stadium was designed by Fenwick Iribarren Architects.[6][7] Constructed on a 450,000 square-metre (111-acre) waterfront site, it had a modular design and incorporated 974 recycled shipping containers in homage to the site's industrial history and the international dialing code for Qatar (+974).[8] Some of the containers housed stadium amenities such as bathrooms and concessions.[8] The entire structure is to be dismantled and is designed to be reassembled elsewhere; it was the first temporary venue in FIFA World Cup history.[9][10]
The stadium was one of eight built, renovated or reconstructed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[11] The procurement process for the stadium conversion began in 2017. The construction of the stadium involved HBK Contracting Company (HBK),[12] DCB-QA, Time Qatar, Fenwick Iribarren Architects (FI-A),[13] Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran.[14][15] Fenwick Iribarren Architects said "the idea was to avoid building a "white elephant", a stadium that is left unused or underused after the tournament ends, as happened following previous World Cups."[16]
The stadium received a four-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).[17]
History
editThe stadium was initially announced under the name Ras Abu Aboud Stadium. During a launch event on 20 November 2021, the venue was officially renamed Stadium 974.[8]
It hosted its first match on 30 November 2021 on the opening day of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, between the United Arab Emirates and Syria.[18] The stadium hosted six matches during the tournament.[19]
The stadium hosted seven games in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including Brazil vs. South Korea in the Round of 16.[20]
Post World Cup use
editIt was originally expected that the reassembled stadium would go somewhere in Africa. Then it was to go to Uruguay, where it would have been used for the 2030 FIFA World Cup with the vacated land used by the stadium being turned into a waterfront development; however the Uruguay–Argentina–Chile–Paraguay bid did not succeed.[21][22][23] However in November 2023, ESPN reported that the stadium is still standing in its original site having been abandoned since the tournament with its World Cup signage still intact.[24] In December 2024, the stadium will host two matches of the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.[25]
Tournament results
editAll times are local, AST (UTC+3).
2021 FIFA Arab Cup
edit| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 November 2021 | 22:00 |  United Arab Emirates |
2–1 |  Syria |
Group B | 4,129 |
| 3 December 2021 | 19:00 |  Mauritania |
0–1 | United Arab Emirates
|
3,316 | |
| 4 December 2021 |  Sudan |
0–5 |  Egypt |
Group D | 14,464 | |
| 7 December 2021 | 18:00 |  Jordan |
5–1 |  Palestine |
Group C | 9,750 |
| 15 December 2021 |  Tunisia |
1–0 | Egypt |
Semifinals | 36,427 | |
| 18 December 2021 | 13:00 | Egypt |
0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) |
 Qatar |
Third-place play-off | 30,978 |
2022 FIFA World Cup
editStadium 974 hosted seven matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
| Date | Time | Team No. 1 | Result | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 November 2022 | 19:00 |  Mexico |
0–0 |  Poland |
Group C | 39,369 |
| 24 November 2022 |  Portugal |
3–2 |  Ghana |
Group H | 42,661 | |
| 26 November 2022 |  France |
2–1 |  Denmark |
Group D | 42,869 | |
| 28 November 2022 |  Brazil |
1–0 |  Switzerland |
Group G | 43,649 | |
| 30 November 2022 | 22:00 | Poland |
0–2 |  Argentina |
Group C | 44,089 |
| 2 December 2022 |  Serbia |
2–3 | Switzerland |
Group G | 41,378 | |
| 5 December 2022 | Brazil |
4–1 |  South Korea |
Round of 16 | 43,847 |
2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup
editStadium 974 will host two matches for the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.[26]
| Date | Time | Team No. 1 | Result | Team No. 2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 December 2024 | 20:00 | Atlético Mineiro/Botafogo |
– | Pachuca |
FIFA Derby of the Americas | |
| 14 December 2024 | Atlético Mineiro/Botafogo / Pachuca |
– | Al Ahly |
FIFA Challenger Cup |
References
edit- ^ "Stadium 974". FIFA. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "Qatar to dismantle temporary stadium". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Stadium 974". Qatar 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "One year on from the 2022 World Cup, has anything changed in Qatar?". ESPN.com. 2023-11-22. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "Lusail Stadium to Host Real Madrid in Intercontinental Cup". Qatar Moments. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "A Modular, Demountable Stadium Built From Shipping Containers Will Be Erected for Qatar 2022 World Cup". ArchDaily. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ "Stadium 974". StadiumDB. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ a b c "Demountable stadium built with shipping containers reaches completion in Qatar". Dezeen. 2021-11-24. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ^ "Stadium 974 in Doha Container becomes icon". More Sports Network. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Ras Abu Aboud Stadium Makes Steady Progress". Al-Bawaba. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- ^ "Why will Ras Abu Aboud Stadium be dismantled after 2022 FIFA World Cup?". I Love Qatar. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "Qatari firm wins contract for Ras Abu Aboud World Cup Stadium". The Peninsula Qatar. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ "Built to disappear: World Cup stadium 974". ABC News. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Doha, Qatar". Design Build Network. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Qatar unveils designs for Ras Abu Aboud while Khalifa Stadium gets 4-stars". In Habitat. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ Naishadham, Suman (2022-12-04). "The World Cup stadium built to disappear: Stadium 974". CTV News. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ "Qatar unveils designs for Ras Abu Aboud while Khalifa Stadium gets 4-stars". Inside World Football. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
- ^ "UAE vs. Syria". Soccerway. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "2021 FIFA Arab Cup: Participating teams, fixtures and all you need to know". Goal.com. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ Long, Dan (5 December 2022). "World Cup 2022 - Brazil 4-1 South Korea: Neymar makes scoring return as Brazil breeze into quarter-finals". Sky Sports. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022.
- ^ Josh Noble (2022-12-05). "World Cup briefing: Final whistle blows for Qatar's shortlived stadiums". Financial Times. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ MacInnes, Paul (2023-10-04). "World Cup 2030 to be hosted in Spain, Portugal, Morocco … and South America". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "FIFA World Cup 2030™: Morocco, Portugal and Spain joint bid is sole candidate to host". FIFA.com. 11 October 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Olley, James (2023-11-22). "One year on from the 2022 World Cup, has anything changed in Qatar?". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ FIFA Intercontinental Cup Match Centre
- ^ "FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024™ stadiums revealed". FIFA.com. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
