sport news 2022 World Cup: Your guide to the eight stadiums in Qatar trends now
In just under six months the 2022 FIFA World Cup will get underway in Qatar and the eight stadiums that will play host to the tournament are primed and ready. They are also eye-catching to say the least.
One of the stadiums is designed like a traditional Middle Eastern woven cap, another is made of shipping containers and one venue has infamously been likened to a woman's private parts.
While they are striking in design, the eight venues – the fewest since the 16-team 1978 World Cup in Argentina – pose a logistical relief to the fans attending arguably the most controversial World Cup ever.
That is because the eight stadia are all situated with a 21-mile radius of central Doha and will be linked by a metro and tram system, making it possible to watch more than one game in the same day for any fan wishing to do so.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup is just under six months away ahead of the tournament's kick-off on November 21
A map showing the eight World Cup venues for 2022 - all of them are separated by just 55km or 34 miles
Each venue, which are powered by solar panel farms, is also equipped with detailed cooling systems to battle the heat, while others have outdoor air-conditioning – even though the fact the tournament has now moved to the winter months has somewhat negated that.
And once the tournament is said and done days before Christmas, only one stadium will be called home to a football team afterwards.
In fact, one stadium will be dismantled altogether while six of the venues will have half their seats taken up and sent to developing countries.
But what can fans expect ahead of the November-December showpiece? Sportsmail takes a look at the eight stadiums and their unique designs.
Lusail StadiumCapacity: 80,000 Distance from Doha city centre: 10 miles Concept designed by: Foster + partners Games: 10, including the final
The showpiece stadium for the tournament that will host the opening fixture and the final as well as other key matches.
The stadium only opened this year, very much behind schedule, with the design inspired by the 'interplay of light and shadow that characterises the fanar lantern'.
At the end of the tournament, most of the seats will be removed and donated to developing countries as the new £33billion city of Lusail 'will not need its own football stadium' after 2022.
The Lusail Stadium is the showpiece venue that will host the opening fixture and the final as well as other key matches
The design of the stadium is inspired by the 'interplay of light and shadow that characterises the fanar lantern'
The roof and curved sides will form a cauldron with organisers claiming it will create a excellent atmosphere
The 80,000-seater stadium only opened this year, very much behind schedule, and is situated in the £33billion city of Lusail
The Lusail stadium in located the eponymous city, around 20 kilometres north of the Qatari capital
Most of the seats will be donated to developing countries as the city 'will not need its own football stadium' after 2022
The World Cup final, as well as other key fixtures, will be played here, given it can host the most fans out of all the stadiums
Capacity: 40,000 Distance from Doha city centre: 14 miles Design inspired by: Dame Zaha Hadid Games: Seven, up to last 16
Formerly known as the Al Wakrah Stadium, the futuristic design of the Al Janoub is inspired by the sails of the dhow boats traditional to the country of Qatar in a nod to the coastal city's maritime heritage.
It boasts a retractable roof and an innovative cooling system to ensure the ground can hold events all year round, even during the searing heat of the summer months.
It was designed by the late British-Iraqi architect, Dame Zaha Hadid, who died suddenly of a heart attack in 2016, aged 65. But when her drawing were first released and went viral, commentators suggested the stadium looked more like a woman's private parts.
At the time Dame Zaha was angry at the comparison, saying: 'It's really embarrassing they come up with nonsense stuff like this. What are they saying? Everything with a hole in it is a vagina? That's ridiculous.'
It was the first of the World Cup stadiums to be completed back in the summer of May 2019, while like the Lusail Stadium, will have 20,000 seats removed after the World Cup has finished.
The Al Wakrah stadium became the first Qatar World Cup stadium to be unveiled ahead of the tournament
When the plans were shown in 2013 they were said to have been inspired by a traditional Arabian boat - but the images went viral with commentators suggesting the stadium looked more like a woman's private parts
Like the Lusail Stadium, the Al Janoub will have 20,000 seats removed after the World Cup has finished
It was the first of the World Cup stadiums to be completed back in the summer of May 2019
It boasts a retractable roof and an innovative cooling system to ensure the ground can hold events all year round
The Al Janoub is inspired by the sails of the dhow boats traditional to the country of Qatar in a nod to the coastal city's maritime heritage
Capacity: 60,000 Distance from Doha city centre: 27 miles Designer: Dar Al-Handasah Games: Eight, including the opening match
One of the larger stadiums, the Al Bayt will stage matches right through to the semi-finals of the competition.
The arena is designed to represent Arab hospitality with the structure looking like a traditional Arab tent known as 'bayt al sha'ar'.
Because temperatures in Qatar can top 30C even in November, it will also have a retractable roof to keep out the heat.
It is the furthest stadium from Doha but fans not wanting to leave can stay in its plush five-star hotel and shopping centre, which will be opened in the venue.
