A Chinese company will be responsible, through a subsidiary together with a Qatari company, for carrying out the works of the stadium that will host the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as announced on Monday in a statement by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, organizer of the competition.
"The awarding of this contract represents a significant step (...) The Lusail Stadium will be the centerpiece of the tournament in 2022 and after that, it will become an integral part of the city of Lusail in the legacy phase," explained Hasan al Zawadi, Secretary General of the organizing entity.
The stadium, which will also host the opening ceremony of the first World Cup in Arab soil, is being developed in the architectural studios of Foster + Partners, led by renowned British architect Norman Foster, and its design will be unveiled in 2017.
With this commercial agreement, China continues to expand its presence in the world of football.
In addition to this foray into stadium construction, companies from the Asian country have acquired major European clubs such as Milan and have stakes in other teams such as Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa, and Manchester City, among others.
The venue, located in the future city of Lusail, fifteen kilometers north of the capital, Doha, will have a capacity of 80,000 spectators and will be uncovered.
The construction of the city of Lusail, estimated to cost 45,000 million dollars, is expected to be ready by 2020 and will accommodate 200,000 residents and 170,000 workers. It will have 22 hotels and five football training grounds designed under FIFA's strict specifications and requirements.