CASH AND CRAFT
THE WEEK|December 26, 2021
In its preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has clubbed its deep pockets with sound strategy and smart engineering
KARTHIK RAVINDRANATH
CASH AND CRAFT
Our original idea was inspired by a LEGO set, said Mohammed Al Mulla. If you were trying to guess what Al Mulla was referring to, a football stadium must not have been on the top of your mind. Yet, that is the origin story of the innovative Stadium 974 in Qatar. The 40,000-capacity venue in Doha is the first fully demountable stadium in the history of the FIFA World Cup. It has been built using recycled shipping containers and modular steel elements.

Al Mulla, the engineer who was in charge of the stadium, told the official Qatar 2022 website that it was one of a kind and a blueprint for future hosts of mega-events. “Fans will be amazed, especially about the fact that concession stands, toilets and medical rooms are all shipping containers,” he said. The 974 in the name denotes the number of shipping containers used. It is also Qatar’s international dialing code. According to Al Mulla, Stadium 974 is the first venue fans will see when they arrive in Qatar. A colorful and distinctive welcome, no doubt, but Stadium 974 is only the appetizer before the elaborate feast that Qatar has prepared for football fans.

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