Tribune News Network
Doha
The final of the 51st edition of HH The Amir Cup 2023 will be staged at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on May 12.
The tournament’s four remaining teams will now be battling it out in the semi-finals with an eye on playing for the ultimate prize at the magnificent venue. Al Shahania are set to meet Al Sadd, while Al Sailiya will face Al Arabi, in the two last four matches that will be held on April 24 and 25.
The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium had previously hosted the final of the 48th edition of the tournament in 2020, which saw Al Sadd beat Al Arabi 2-1, on the day of its inauguration as the fourth completed stadium for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, coinciding with the National Day of Qatar.
During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium hosted seven matches including the Argentina-Australia match in the round of 16 with a capacity crowd of 45,032 fans.
The first World Cup match that was hosted at the venue was between USA and Wales in the opening round of Group B. It also hosted matches between Belgium and Canada, Wales and Iran, Japan and Costa Rica, Wales and England, and Croatia and Belgium.
The stadium, located in the Umm Al Afai area, which is one of the oldest Qatari settlements and home to Al Rayyan Sports Club, is inspired by nature and is a man-made marvel. The design of the stadium and the surrounding buildings simulates local culture and traditions, while the exterior facade reflects the ripples of sand dunes. The geometric shapes depict the beauty of the desert, local flora and fauna, as well as local and international trade.
The stadium is set to be the perfect home for Al Rayyan Club, following the end of the FIFA World Cup.
More than 80% of the building materials used for the stadium were from the original stadium that previously occupied the site, while the trees around the old stadium were carefully preserved.
Fans visiting the stadium can travel through Doha’s new environmentally friendly metro system, making it a truly sustainable experience.