| استاد خليفة الدولي (Arabic) | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Khalifa International Stadium | |
| Location |
|
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 25°15′49″N51°26′53″E / 25.26361°N 51.44806°E /25.26361; 51.44806 |
| Public transit |  Sport City (المدينة الرياضية) |
| Owner | Qatar Football Association |
| Capacity | 45,857 |
| Record attendance | 45,344 (England vsIran,21 November 2022) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1976 |
| Renovated | 2005, 2017 |
| Architect | Dar Al-Handasah (2017) |
| Tenants | |
| Qatar national football team (1976–present) | |
Khalifa International Stadium (/kəˈliːfə/,Arabic:استاد خليفة الدولي,ALA-LC:Istād Khalīfah al-Duwalī) is amulti-purpose stadium located inDoha, Qatar, around 9 kilometres (6 miles) west from the centre ofDoha. Its ground comprises arunning track and agrass pitch. Opened in 1976, the stadium was named after thenEmir of QatarKhalifa bin Hamad Al Thani. Under the ownership of theQatar Football Association, it serves as the primary home ground of theQatar men's national football team. Its current fully-roofed, 45,857-seat configuration was opened in 2017, following a previous reconfiguration in 2005 that incorporated the stadium into theAspire Zone complex and added a roofed grandstand; boosting its capacity from 20,000 to 40,000.
Khalifa has hosted numerous internationalassociation football andathletics events throughout its history.Track and field events at the2006 Asian Games,2011 Pan Arab Games, and2019 World Athletics Championships were held at the stadium, andWorld Athletics has since organised the annualDoha Diamond League event there as part of itsDiamond League series. In the future, Khalifa is planned to host track and field events at the2030 Asian Games. In association football, the stadium hosted matches during the2022 FIFA World Cup, the2019 FIFA Club World Cup, the1995 FIFA World Youth Championship, the2011 and2023 AFC Asian Cup, and three editions of theArabian Gulf Cup. The final of theEmir of Qatar Cup is also occasionally played at the stadium.
Khalifa International Stadium opened in 1976, ahead of the4th Arabian Gulf Cup, with a mostly symmetrical stadium bowl and a basic roof covering the upper seats of the stadium's western stand. The stadium hosted all 22 games of the tournament, which was won byKuwait.[1][2][3] Sixteen years later, the stadium once again hosted all 15 games of the11th Arabian Gulf Cup in 1992, which saw hosts Qatar win the Arabian Gulf Cup the very first time.[4][5]
In preparation for Doha's hosting of the2006 Asian Games, Khalifa International Stadium was renovated with a complete remodelling of the stadium's western stand, which transformed it into agrandstand with a second tier and a new roof that covered all the seats. Over the eastern side, a large arch with additionallight fixtures were added, which was used as a platform; this was used during the games'opening ceremony to launchfireworks from.[6] The stadium's reconfiguration in 2005 was part of the larger Doha Sports Cityurban renewal project in Al Rayyan, later known as theAspire Zone complex. Today, it includes theAspire Academy,Hamad Aquatic Centre, and theAspire Tower.[7] The ceremonies and track and field events of the2011 Pan Arab Games were also held at Khalifa a few years later.[8]
After the rights to host the2022 FIFA World Cup were awarded to Qatar in December 2010, Khalifa International Stadium was reconfigured again to stage matches during the tournament. An initial plan to upgrade the stadium's capacity to at least 68,000 was mulled but later revised.[9] The final design by international architecture firmDar Al-Handasah saw the stadium's capacity boosted to 45,857, with the addition of a new tier on the eastern stand and a new roof covering the entire stadium.[10][11] Upon its reopening in 2017, it became the first stadium to receive a four-star rating from the FIFA-endorsedGlobal Sustainability Assessment System of the Middle East and North Africa,[12] and was the first of the eight venues of the FIFA World Cup to open.[13][14][15] Since its reopening, the stadium hosted the2019 World Athletics Championships, and three matches of the2019 FIFA Club World Cup, including itsfinal.[16][17][18]
Khalifa International stadium was the first one to get inaugurated during last year's Amir cup finals. It has long been the cornerstone of the country's sporting tradition with its unique geography and advanced transport systems.[19]
Khalifa International stadium has set a benchmark. However, its most significant feature is its roof which covers over 70 per cent of the stadium. The roof is designed withEFTE andPTFE materials. Although it is not retractable like other stadiums, it can still provide sufficient shade for fans.However, the distinctive feature of the Khalifa Stadium is its two roof arches. These arches are located on the east and west side of the stadium, which is over 120metre high. Furthermore, it is also fitted with cooling units that span around the stadium.
The cooling system can drop the temperature down to 24 degrees during matches. In addition, the latest renovation also saw the installation of LED pitch lights and a digital floodlight.[20]
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and theAspire Zone Foundation collaborated to renovate the stadium, which got underway in 2014. It involved building a sports museum (3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum), expanding the east wing of the stadium's stands to accommodate 48,000 spectators, adding hospitality and VIP suites, installing a state-of-the-art roof that covers every stand in the stadium, and installing cooling technology that uses 40% less energy than traditional stadium cooling technology to maintain the field's ideal temperature of 26 degrees all year round.[21]
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| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(January 2023) |
| Date | Time(QST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 October 1998 | 21:00 |  Kuwait | 4–1 |  United Arab Emirates | Third place | 25,000 |
| 1 October 1998 | 23:00 |  Saudi Arabia | 3–1 |  Qatar | Final | 25,000 |
The Khalifa International Stadium hosted six matches during the2011 AFC Asian Cup, including thefinal.
| Date | Time(QST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January 2011 | 19:15 | Qatar | 0–2 |  Uzbekistan | Group A | 37,143 |
| 12 January 2011 | 19:15 |  China | 0–2 | Qatar | 30,778 | |
| 16 January 2011 | 19:15 | Qatar | 3–0 | Kuwait | 28,339 | |
| 21 January 2011 | 19:25 | Uzbekistan | 2–1 |  Jordan | Quarter-finals | 16,073 |
| 25 January 2011 | 19:25 | Uzbekistan | 0–6 |  Australia | Semi-finals | 24,826 |
| 29 January 2011 | 18:00 | Australia | 0–1 |  Japan | Final | 37,174 |
| Date | Time (AST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 November 2019 | 19:30 | Qatar | 1–2 |  Iraq | Group A | 37,890 |
| 29 November 2019 | 17:30 | United Arab Emirates | 0–2 | Iraq | 17,437 | |
| 19:30 |  Yemen | 0–6 | Qatar | 26,392 | ||
| 2 December 2019 | 17:30 | Qatar | 4–2 | United Arab Emirates | TBD | |
| 20:00 | Kuwait | 2–4 |  Bahrain | Group B | TBD |
The Khalifa International Stadium hosted eight matches during the2022 FIFA World Cup, including thethird place play-off.
| Date | Time(QST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 November 2022 | 16:00 |  England | 6–2 |  Iran | Group B | 45,344 |
| 23 November 2022 | 16:00 |  Germany | 1–2 | Japan | Group E | 42,608 |
| 25 November 2022 | 19:00 |  Netherlands | 1–1 |  Ecuador | Group A | 44,833 |
| 27 November 2022 | 19:00 |  Croatia | 4–1 |  Canada | Group F | 44,374 |
| 29 November 2022 | 18:00 | Ecuador | 1–2 |  Senegal | Group A | 44,569 |
| 1 December 2022 | 22:00 | Japan | 2–1 |  Spain | Group E | 44,851 |
| 3 December 2022 | 18:00 | Netherlands | 3–1 |  United States | Round of 16 | 44,846 |
| 17 December 2022 | 18:00 | Croatia | 2–1 |  Morocco | Third place play-off | 44,137 |
On 5 April 2023, the Khalifa International Stadium was chosen as one of nine (then eight) venues for the2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
| Date | Local time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 January 2024 | 17:30 | United Arab Emirates | 3–1 |  Hong Kong | Group C | 15,586 |
| 16 January 2024 | 20:30 | Saudi Arabia | 2–1 |  Oman | Group F | 41,987 |
| 19 January 2024 | 20:30 | Hong Kong | 0–1 | Iran | Group C | 36,412 |
| 22 January 2024 | 18:00 | Qatar | 1–0 | China | Group A | 42,104 |
| 25 January 2024 | 14:30 | Jordan | 0–1 | Bahrain | Group E | 39,650 |
| 29 January 2024 | 14:30 | Iraq | 2–3 | Jordan | Round of 16 | 35,814 |
On 24 May 2025, the Khalifa International Stadium was chosen as one of six venues for the2025 FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar.
| Date | Local time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 December 2025 | 15:00 | Morocco | – |  Comoros/ Yemen | Group B | |
| 4 December 2025 | 20:00 |  Syria/ South Sudan | – | Qatar | Group A | |
| 6 December 2025 | 16:30 | Bahrain/ Djibouti | – |  Algeria | Group D | |
| 9 December 2025 | 20:00 | Algeria | – | Iraq | Group D | |
| 11 December 2025 | 17:30 | TBD | – | TBD | Quarter-finals | |
| 15 December 2025 | 17:30 | TBD | – | TBD | Semi-finals | |
| 18 December 2025 | 14:00 | TBD | – | TBD | Third place playoff |
| Date | Time (QST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 November 2009 | 19:15 |  Brazil | 1–0 | England |
| 17 November 2010 | 19:15 | Brazil | 0–1 |  Argentina |
| 18 November 2010 | 18:00 | Qatar | 0–1 |  Haiti |
| 16 December 2010 | 18:00 | Qatar | 2–1 |  Egypt |
| 22 December 2010 | 16:00 | Qatar | 2–0 |  Estonia |
| 28 December 2010 | 19:15 | Qatar | 0–0 | Iran |
| 6 February 2013 | 21:00 | Spain | 3–1 |  Uruguay |
| 7 September 2018 | 19:00 | Qatar | 1–0 | China |
| 11 September 2018 | 19:00 | Qatar | 3–0 |  Palestine |
| 31 December 2018 | 20:00 | Qatar | 1–2 | Iran |
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Asian Games Opening and closing ceremonies 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Busan Asiad Main Stadium Busan | Asian Games Athletics tournament Main venue 2006 | Succeeded by Guangdong Olympic Stadium Guangzhou |
| Preceded by | AFC Asian Cup Final venue 2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | World Athletics Championships 2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Asian Games Opening and closing ceremonies 2030 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Paloma Mizuho Stadium Nagoya | Asian Games Athletics tournament Main venue 2030 | Succeeded by King Fahd International Stadium Riyadh |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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