Work begins on Qatar World Cup final stadium

Work has started on the stadium that will host the opening and final matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to reports.

Ground is currently being cleared in preparation for construction to start on the 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium, 20 km north of Doha, which is scheduled to complete by 2020

Project manager Tamim Loutfi Elabed told reporters that the centre spot has already been marked out and that foundations will go in later this year, AFP reported.

There are currently about 500 workers on site but that will rise to 7,000 once construction is in full swing.

“At the moment we’re still in the early mobilisation stages so we haven’t hit the first thousand. We’re at about 500 workers,” Tamim said.

A joint venture of Qatari company HBK Contracting (HBK) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) was awarded the main construction contract to build the venue in November.

Renowned British architecture firm Foster + Partners completed the schematic design of the 80,000-seat stadium earlier last year.

It was reported recently that Qatar has cut its World Cup budget by up to 50 percent and that as few as eight venues could host matches at the mega event, though FIFA has yet to approve the final number of stadiums.

Qatar is spending almost $500mn every week on major infrastructure projects ahead of sport’s biggest event, a government official said earlier this year.