Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and other dignitaries stand in honour of the Qatar national anthem being played at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium moments before the start of the Amir Cup final.
The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani last night was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, retired soccer stars and national sports heroes as Qatar unveiled its fourth World Cup venue with a grand football clash broadcast around the world.
Doha football giants Al Sadd added sparkle to their performance by beating Al Arabi 2-1 in the final of the Amir Cup watched by 20,000 fans allowed inside the new venue inaugurated two years ahead of the World Cup.
The Amir was welcomed to Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium by his Special Representative H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani moments before the start of the exciting final that was also watched by AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and chief of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Sheikh Ahmed Al Fahad Al Ahmed Al Sabah. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani were also present.
The Amir waved to the fans as he walked into the artfully decorated World Cup venue. Moments later FIFA President welcomed the Amir with an elbow bump.
The Qatar national anthem was played soon afterwards. Qatar 2022 brand ambassadors Tim Cahill of Australia, Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon and Barcelona legend Xavi Hernández —coach of Al Sadd — were also present on the occasion as fans were treated to a show of pomp and pageantry from 3pm onwards at the venue.
The new stadium, that sits next to Mall of Qatar - the country’s biggest shopping centre - is the fourth match venue to be unveiled by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).
In May 2017, the iconic Khalifa International Stadium (KIS) was unveiled five years ahead of schedule while the Al Janoub Stadium was inaugurated in May 2019. The Education City Stadium was unveiled with a digital ceremony thanking health workers around the world in June this year. Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, built from scratch, now has become the fourth World Cup venue to be unveiled by SC. All venues have state-of-the-art cooling technology that can help host matches in any degree of comfort for players and fans, organisers say.
H H the Amir hands over the trophy to Al Sadd skipper Hassan Al Haydos.
Yesterday the new Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium operated at 50 percent capacity with fans seated two seats apart for the Amir Cup final. The fans had to wear masks after showing their Ehtarez app at the entry gates, officials said. The 20,000 fans had to show a negative COVID-19 test or positive COVID-19 antibodies test in order to enter the stadium.
The attending fans also underwent temperature checks prior to taking their seats. With social distancing in place, food and beverages were only made available in the Fan Zone.
OCA President Al Sabah said yesterday: “I am so happy to be here as it is Qatar’s National Day. I congratulate the Amir and the people of Qatar on their National Day. I wish Qatar the very best. I also congratulate Doha on winning the Asian Games bid for the 2030 edition. The bid race victory is not new because Doha has hosted the Asian Games before. I congratulate Riyadh also for securing the 2034 Asian Games.”
He added: “There was never any doubt on Qatar’s fast-paced preparation for the World Cup. There have been issues like COVID-19 situation this year yet Qatar handled all of it very well and continued with their slick preparation. Qatar is unveiling their superb match venues one by one. The fact that Qatar is hosting the AFC Champions League matches - for West and East Zones - is another reflection of how the country is delivering and assisting in completing the halted sports calendar in Asia.”
Built on the site where Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium once stood before it was razed to the ground, the new 40,000-capacity venue is slated to host seven matches during Qatar 2022 up to the round of 16 stage. Two more stadiums are expected to be inaugurated in the coming months - Al Bayt and Al Thumama Stadium. SC has confirmed all eight stadiums ‘will be delivered well in advance of the tournament’.
Two weeks ago, FIFA President Infantino praised Qatar’s fast-paced construction commitment.
“I am very pleased with Qatar’s progress ahead of the tournament. We have seen the plans, but when you see the reality, it is even more impressive. Qatar has been able to continue to advance during the last six months while the world stood still. If I was confident before, now I can say I am even more,” Infantino said during one of his three visits to Qatar in as many months.
“In 2022, everything will be close by and fans from all nationalities will have the opportunity to gather in the same public areas and enjoy Qatar’s mild temperatures at this time of the year. It’s a World Cup like no other was or ever will be,” Infantino, who was also present for the inauguration ceremonies of the Khalifa International Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium, said.
