Stadium 974 is one of the most talked about World Cup venues. Now, it faces deconstruction and transplantation to a new location. The stadium is the first temporary stadium in the history of the World Cup and marks a new era in football architecture.
The builders used 974 recyclable shipping containers to build it. The number takes its name from Qatar’s international dialing code. Construction only began in 2018, a year after other Qatari stadiums began construction.
Conservatism was the main factor when officials began planning the stadium. FIFA reports that the stadium uses 40% less water compared to a traditional stadium. Additionally, AP said that Stadium 974 may have a lower carbon footprint depending on how far the stadium travels in use.
Fenwick Iribarren Architects, the chief planner for Stadium 974, said their main goal was to avoid a white elephant, or land that isn’t used after a World Cup.
The legacy of Stadium 974
Despite its innovative design, Stadium 974 received a lot of criticism on social media for its obnoxiously bright colors and rather fast construction time.
This stadium monstrosity looks like it’s straight out of Junk Junction. Stadium 974 has the same energy as a postponed school project done the night before the deadline, featuring a triptych bought at Michael’s five minutes before the store closed.
David Moore of The18
After opening its doors during the FIFA Arab Cup in 2021, it hosted six matches, including a semi-final match between Tunisia and Egypt that drew more than 36,000 excited fans.
The participation of Estadio 974 in the World Cup was significant, although it only hosted seven games. It was the battleground between a fierce confrontation between Switzerland and Serbia, witnessed Argentina defeat Poland and hosted Brazil’s victory over South Korea.
During the World Cup, spectators pointed out that Stadium 974 is the only stadium without air conditioning, which is brutal for fans and players facing Qatar’s humid heat.
The stadium concluded its seven World Cup matches. Consequently, the builders begin deconstruction in the sand. Many estimate that the 974 shipping containers are headed for an African or South American country. So far, no one knows the fate of the World Cup stadium.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Matthias Koch
