The Al Thumama Stadium in Doha designed by Qatari architect Ibrahim M Jaidah and based on a gahfiya cap has been inaugurated ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup.

The 40,000-capacity stadium in the south of Doha is the sixth tournament-ready venue to be completed ahead of the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Qatar next year.

Named Al Thumama Stadium after a locally found tree, the stadium has a distinctive circular form.

It was designed by Jaidah, who is the chief architect of Arab Engineering Bureau, to look like a gahfiya, a traditional woven head cap worn by men throughout the Middle East.

"I remember that night, I got my hands on all types of gahfiyas in order to study the different patterns on each," said Jaidah.

"I've always worn it as a child, however, I didn't expect to see all the different shapes and the depth of their designs."

The circular stadium has a concrete bowl that will have 40,000 seats during the World Cup.

Above and around, the head-cap-shaped canopy will provide shade for spectators and players as part of the stadium's cooling strategy.

"The shape of the gahfiya does not only serve a design purpose," said Jaidah.

"In a similar way to how the gahfiya is used to cover one's head from the heat, the shape is also used to protect the spectators from the sun."

Like many of the venues at the World Cup, which will be played in November and December, Al Thumama Stadium will be artificially cooled.

At this stadium, air is cooled using fans powered by solar energy and then released into the venue through large pitch-side nozzles and grills in the stands.
Following the World Cup, the stadium's capacity will be reduced, with 20,000 seats from the upper stands removed.

In their place, a boutique hotel will be built with 60 rooms directly facing the pitch.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an association football tournament, contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations and the 22nd FIFA World Cup. It will take place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022. This will be the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.[a]

The tournament will feature 32 participating teams, the last to do so as the field will increase to 48 teams for the 2026 tournament. Matches at the event will be played in eight venues across five cities. France are the defending champions, having defeated Croatia 4–2 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup final. Because of Qatar's intense summer heat and humidity, this World Cup will be held during November and December, being the first tournament not held in May, June, or July and to take place in the northern winter.[1] It will be played in a reduced timeframe of 29 days The opening match will be between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. The final will be held on 18 December 2022, Qatar's National Day.