World Cup 2022 host cities & stadiums | OneFootball

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is slowly creeping up on us with kick-off under a year away.

With the novelty of the tournament being held in a country without much footballing history, it means even the most die-hard fan may not be aware of the cities and stadiums.

So here's the lowdown of the regions and venues that will play host to the 2022 World Cup...

1. Al Janoub Stadium

Al Janoub Stadium was opened in 2019 / GIUSEPPE CACACE/GettyImages

City: Al WakrahCapacity: 40,000Games hosted: Group stageOne of Qatar's various home arenas, the Al Janoub Stadium hosted the 2020 AFC Champions League final and sees a fair share of club football as the home of Al-Wakrah SC.The wavy designs (literally) of the seating are inspired by the region's traditional Dhow boats which are used by pearl divers in the Persian Gulf.

2. Khalifa International Stadium

The stadium was renovated in preparation for the World Cup / Maja Hitij/GettyImages

City: Al RayyanCapacity: 40,000Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, third place playoffLook familiar, Liverpool fans? This is where you beat Flamengo in the final of 2019 Club World Cup.While seats can be added to boost the capacity for events, it's still unclear whether the stadium will house more than 40,000 fans for the tournament

3. Stadium 974

City: DohaCapacity: 40,000Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16Stadium 974 may sound like a planet from the Star Wars franchise, but it's one of the eight host stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. Who'd have thought?From the outside, Stadium 974 looks more like a docking bay. Or the stadium from Call of Duty: Warzone. Hey, at least there's layers of character about this ground.

4. Al Thumama Stadium

Italy should feel at home if they qualify / Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages

City: DohaCapacity: 40,000Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finalsOne of the tournament's four stadiums situated in Doha, the design of the Al Thumama Stadium is based on the traditional Middle Eastern taqiyah hat.Half of the stadium's seats will be donated to other countries at the conclusion of the World Cup.

5. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

The stadium opened at the end of 2020 / Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages

City: Al RayyanCapacity: 44,740Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16Al Rayyan's original Ahmed bin Ali Stadium was built in 2003, but apparently that wasn't up to scratch and was demolished in 2015.90% of the rubble from that old stadium went into building the new one or to public art projects.

6. Education City Stadium

Education City Stadium's opening was delayed until late 2020 / James Williamson - AMA/GettyImages

City: Al RayyanCapacity: 45,350Games hosted: Group stage, last 16, quarter finalsEducation City is merely the name of a development within the city of Al Rayyan, but now also plays host to a World Cup calibre stadium - which has been nicknamed the 'diamond in the desert'.

7. Al Bayt Stadium

Al Bayt Stadium is one of two stadiums with a capacity over 60,000 / Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages

City: Al KhorCapacity: 60,000Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finalsIf you were lucky enough to book a hotel room at Al Bayt Stadium, then you'll be able to enjoy a balcony view of the pitch.At the end of the World Cup, the stadium will be downscaled by nearly half the capacity, the hotel expanded, a shopping mall opened and another sport facility built.

8. Lusail Iconic Stadium

Let's hope it will be iconic / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages

City: LusailCapacity: 80,000Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals, finalWith under a year to go until the final, an official game is still yet to be played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.Like many of the other stadiums on this list, Lusail Iconic Stadium will undergo a severe reduction in capacity at the conclusion of the World Cup.