Flamengo will play at Ahmad bin Ali, a sustainable stadium with 90% recycled material in Qatar By Carolina Costa
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Flamengo will play up to three games from Copa Intercontinental 2025 in Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, in Al Rayyan, 20 km from Doha, in Catar. The stadium, opened on December 18, 2020, was built with more than 90% recycled or reused materials, including parts of the old stadium demolished in 2015 on the same site. The 40,000-seat arena is considered one of the most sustainable in the world and has already hosted seven matches in the 2022 Copa.
Location and easy access
Ahmad bin Ali is located in the city of Al Rayyan, known as the gateway to the Qatari desert. The distance to the center of Doha is approximately 20 kilometers, while the Aeroporto Internacional of Hamad is 28 kilometers away.
Fans can count on the Al Riffa metro station just a few minutes’ walk away, on the green line that connects directly to the Mall of Qatar and the center of the capital.
Architecture inspired by local culture
The stadium’s facade reproduces desert dunes, native flora, fauna and historic commercial patterns of the Catar. Esses elements form a large shield, a symbol of strength and unity according to the designers.
The design also contributes to the natural cooling of the interior, reducing energy consumption in a country with extreme temperatures.
Sustainability in numbers
More than 90% of the materials used in construction came from reuse or recycling. Após to Copa from Mundo of 2022, the upper stand was dismantled and donated to football development projects in other countries.
Currently, capacity has been reduced to 40 thousand seats, maintaining LEED Gold certification for sustainable construction.
House of Al Rayyan and striking colors
The stadium belongs to Al Rayyan Sports Club, current champion of Qatar Stars League. The red and black seats pay homage to the colors of the local club, nicknamed “The Ferozes”.
Portuguese coach Arthur Jorge leads the squad that includes Brazilians Róger Guedes, Gregore and Wesley.
History at Copa of Mundo of 2022
Ahmad bin Ali received seven games from Mundial, all in the group stage:
- States Unidos 1 x 1 País of Gales
- Belgium 1 x 0
- Country of Gales 0 x 2 Irã
- Japan 0 x 1
- Country of Gales 0 x 3 Inglaterra
- Croatia 0 x 0 Bélgica
- Argentina 2 x 1
The arena was praised for its organization and the refrigeration system that maintained a pleasant temperature even with games at 1 pm local time.
Preparation for Copa Intercontinental
Copa Intercontinental 2025 begins on December 14th with Flamengo entering directly into the semi-finals or final, depending on FIFA’s final regulations. The Ahmad bin Ali was chosen as the main stage for the Brazilian club’s games as it meets all the required technical standards.
The red and black delegation will disembark at Doha in the next few days to acclimatize before the debut.
