Qatar downsize 2022 World Cup stadia

Amid rising costs and delays in its infrastructure projects, Qatar reduced the number of stadia it plans to build for the 2022 soccer World Cup stadia from 12 to eight.

The country, which won the right to host the world’s most-watched sporting event in 2010, plans to build eight stadiums for the event, Ghanim Al Kuwari, the organising committee’s senior manager for projects, said at a conference in Doha on Sunday.

The country originally announced plans for 12 stadia, including nine new playing fields and three refurbishments. Al Kuwari didn’t give a reason for the cut.

Qatar, which holds the world’s third-largest natural-gas reserves, plans to spend more than $200bn (€144.9bn) on new infrastructure before hosting the World Cup, including $34bn on a rail and metro system, $7bn on a port and $17bn on an airport. Stadia for the World Cup are set to cost $4bn alone.

“As is the case with any Fifa World Cup, once a country is chosen as host, a review of the bid plans is made with the organisers to propose the final host cities and stadia projects, which then need to be approved by the Fifa Executive Committee,” Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said in a statement. “The requirement is a minimum of eight and a maximum of 12 stadia.”