Al Rayyan Stadium, a proposed host venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, will be delivered on time, a senior official of the main contractor has told the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) website, www.sc.qa.

The 40,000 seater stadium achieved a milestone on Wednesday as the first concrete was poured at the location of its West stand five weeks ahead of schedule.

The concrete pouring marked the commencement of a new phase in the construction of the stadium of one of Qatar’s most popular sports clubs, after starting the foundation excavation.

The SC appointed the joint venture of L & T and Qatar’s Al Balagh Trading and Contracting as the main contractor on Al Rayyan Stadium on June 1. The initial concrete pouring on the West stand took place on June 12. The stadium is expected to be completed by 2019.

After achieving the first pouring of concrete at Al Rayyan Stadium, India-headquartered global construction major Larsen & Toubro (L & T) hailed the significance of the landmark event.

Talking to www.sc.qa, L & T’s India-based whole time director and senior executive vice president (buildings, minerals and metals) M. V. Satish said that the joint venture was proud of the progress achieved so far at Al Rayyan Stadium.

“L & T have a history of successfully delivering stadium projects across many countries ahead of schedule, and we are confident we will deliver Al Rayyan Stadium on time.”

The Al Rayyan Stadium project is the first ever involvement in a FIFA World Cup project for L & T, India’s largest construction company, which has an impressive track record of constructing major sporting venues.

“We have been involved with the world cup competitions of other sports such as cricket, but the global appeal of the FIFA World Cup is unrivalled and we therefore attach great significance to the Al Rayyan project,” Satish said.

For L & T, building the new home of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Al Rayyan SC coincides with the potential emergence of Indian football as a mass urban sport.

“Football is generating massive interest among the youth of India, and through the Al Rayyan project we are pleased to be one of the country’s global representatives for the sport,” said Satish.

“India is also hosting its first-ever FIFA event [the FIFA Under-17 World Cup] in 2017, and therefore Al Rayyan Stadium construction will have a futuristic resonance for L & T in India.”

After the tournament, 20,000 modular seats in the top tier of the stadium will be dismantled and donated to countries in need of football infrastructure, contributing to the global development of football.

Al Rayyan’s sporting heritage and Qatar’s environment is reflected in the design of the stadium, the façade of which will feature a multitude of local patterns and designs that draw on Qatari culture.

Featuring an innovative exterior design, it also aims to create a sense of place unique to Al Rayyan in particular, and more generally to the culture of Qatar and the Middle East. Most of the hospitality and service areas will be located outside the stadium in dune-like structures, which resemble the sand dunes that surround desert tents.

Sustainability is at the heart of the design, beginning with the deconstruction of the old stadium, with 90% of the materials resulting from the deconstruction being re-used. Some of the materials will be used by local and international artists to create works of public art which reflect the history of Al Rayyan Sports Club.

The local community was consulted about the design and legacy of this project with the SC making eight majlis visits in the area. The venue will serve in legacy as a hub for the local community, with the area surrounding the stadium including retail, and aquatics centre, walkways and a wedding hall.