Ahmed bin Ali Stadium – historical stadium description

When it was being built in 2003, the stadium of Al-Rayyan SC was located nearly 1 km away from Doha’s north-western outskirts, in desert surroundings. The remote location enabled the creation of a vast training complex, while at the same time it was clear than within a decade the place would be one of Doha’s new expansion zones. The football academy initially took over 55 hectares and then expanded to occupy 70+ hectares.

Upon opening – just for the 2003 Emir of Qatar Cup – the stadium was considered among the best in Qatar, in terms of size second only to Khalifa International Stadium. Its single-tiered stands had an oval footprint without a running track. Combined with steep rake, the stadium offered good conditions to watch football in. Distinctively, fans entered through 12 external towers, except for the main stand, which housed all facilities. It was also the only covered part of the stadium.

Because of its role in Qatari football and infrastructure, the stadium was an obvious choice for the 2022 World Cup bid. Initially the plan was to leave the existing stands in place and expand the stadium, however eventually demolition and building from scratch became the preferred solution. As much as 90% of the stadium was reused in the successor or other projects, once demolition proceeded in 2015.

Interestingly, you may still see the old stadium if you visit Doha. The city’s Than bin Jassim Stadium, home of Al-Gharafa, was built along the exact same documentation as the old Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.