An artist’s impression of the underground stadium Doha is building.

doha • In a little over two years, Doha will have the world's first underground stadium, which will be used for matches during the 2011 Asian Cup football tournament and future events.

Built at a cost of over $20m, the new stadium will be an all-weather sports facility which is being constructed barely 3kms away from Al Ahli Stadium.

According to Dr Athanasios Batsilas, the Technical Director of Qatar Football Association (QFA), the new stadium will have no light towers normally seen around sports stadiums around the world.

"You will not see any light towers around this new stadium. This is the unique part of this wonderful project. However, we shall have lights integrated inside the main stand of the stadium, which can house around 10,000 to 11,000 people," Batsilas said yesterday.

“We will have latest audio and video technology inside the stadium to facilitate the players, officials and the fans. The public shall have an easy access to the stadium from seven roads leading into the underground car park," Batsilas added.

According to the QFA official, the stadium has not been named yet. It has been referred to as 'the sports club stadium'. The first phase of construction is currently on. The stadium is expected to be ready for use by the end of 2009.

Built over an area of 200,000 square metres, the yet-to-be-completed facility - which looks more like an open laptop - will have VIP enclosures besides a seating house for local and international media.

Qatar, who successfully bid for the 2011 Asian Cup - the region's premier football tournament - will stage matches at this stadium from 2010 onwards.

Doha, home to the world's largest indoor sports facility called the Aspire Dome, hosted the 15th Asian Games in December last year.

Today, the Heir Apparent, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of the Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC), will formally announce Doha's bid to win the rights to stage the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games at a celebratory ceremony to be staged on the Corniche.

According to unconfirmed reports, Doha is seriously considering a bid to host the Fifa World Cup finals in the year 2018. The new facility will go a long way in helping Qatar impress the Fifa hierarchy about its potential bid. The next edition of the World Cup will be staged in South Africa in 2010.