Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Mark Jones

Why is it called Stadium 974? Temporary Qatar World Cup 2022 venue and name explained

This is already a very unusual World Cup, but it is about to get even more unusual on Tuesday when Stadium 974, a temporary venue, hosts its first tournament match.

Mexico take on Poland in a Group C fixture at the eye-catching ground at 4pm GMT, and the stadium is sure to be a talking point for fans.

The 40,000 seater venue, initially known at the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, was opened in November last year, and is the first and so far only temporary stadium in World Cup history.

But how has it been built? And what will happen to it after the tournament?

Here's what we know about the venue.

Where is Stadium 974?

The stadium is in the Ras Abou Aboud district of Doha, a largely industrial area which features one of Qatar's three major power stations which provide the country with electricity.

The Qatar Table Tennis Association and the Doha Sailing Club are also in the district.

Why is it called Stadium 974?

Remarkably, the stadium is made from some 974 shipping containers, which can be seen on the facade of the venue and throughout the interior, where they make up bathrooms, entrances and food and drink stalls.

The number 974 wasn't an accident either, as it is also the international dialling code for Qatar (+974).

Has Stadium 974 hosted football matches before?

The stadium hosted six matches at last November's FIFA Arab Cup, with the first coming when the United Arab Emirates beat Syria 2-1 in front of just over four thousand fans on November 30, ten days after an official launch event to rename the stadium.

Stadium 974 hosted a semi-final and the third-place playoff at the Arab Cup, with Tunisia beating Egypt 1-0 in the former in front of 36,427 fans, the current record attendance at the ground.

Stadium 974 is built from shipping containers (Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Which World Cup 2022 matches will be played at Stadium 974?

Mexico against Poland will be the first of seven games at Stadium 974 during the World Cup, with some of the biggest names in football set to grace the venue over the next two weeks.

Portugal, France, Brazil and Argentina will all play there, before the stadium hosts a round of 16 match between the winner of Group G and the runner-up of Group H on December 5.

The full list of matches at Stadium 974:

November 22: Mexico vs Poland, 4pm GMT

November 24: Portugal vs Ghana, 4pm GMT

November 26: France vs Denmark, 4pm GMT

November 28: Brazil vs Switzerland, 4pm GMT

November 30: Poland vs Argentina, 7pm GMT

December 2: Serbia vs Switzerland, 7pm GMT

December 5: Winner Group G vs Runner-up Group H, 7pm GMT

What will happen to Stadium 974 after the World Cup?

It will be dismantled, although the exact fate of the shipping containers isn't yet known.

It was initially claimed that they would be returned to use elsewhere in Qatar, something the organisers have been keen to push as they cite this World Cup as "setting a new standard" as the most sustainable major event ever held.

It has also been claimed that the stadium could be rebuilt in its entirety in Uruguay for the 2030 World Cup, the centenary edition of the tournament, which the 1930 winners are bidding to host in a joint venture alongside Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.

Qatar are believed to have offered the stadium to the Uruguayan president should some of the venues in the South American country not be up to scratch.

What happened to the workers on Stadium 974?

A Guardian report in February 2021 stated that 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had died in Qatar between 2010 and 2020, during the period that all eight World Cup venues were being constructed.

It isn't known how many of these worked on Stadium 974.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.