Lusail Stadium guide: How to reach on the Doha metro and more

As the venue that will host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final, Lusail Stadium is pretty special – and so is the design.

The venue will be inaugurated next month on August 11 during the QNB Stars League, so we thought it was time to take a peek under the hood.

Wondering how to get there on the Doha Metro, which matches Lusail Stadium will host, or just curious about the stadium design? We’ve got you covered.

Lusail Stadium match schedule

Group stages:

Argentina v Saudi Arabia – Tuesday November 22, 1pm (Group C)
Brazil v Serbia – Thursday November 24, 10pm (Group G)
Argentina v Mexico – Saturday November 26, 10pm (Group C)
Portugal v Uruguay – Monday November 28, 10pm (Group H)
Saudi Arabia v Mexico – Wednesday November 30, 10pm (Group C)
Cameroon v Brazil – Friday December 2, 10pm (Group G)

Round of 16:

1H v 2G – Tuesday December 6, 10pm (Match 56)
Winner match 49 v winner match 50 – Friday December 9, 10pm (Match 57)

Semi-finals:

Winner match 57 v winner match 58 – Tuesday December 13, 10pm

Finals:

Final match – Sunday December 18, 6pm

How to get to Lusail Stadium

Doha Metro

All eight of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums are easily reached via public transport.

The closest metro station to Lusail Stadium is Lusail Metro Station, which is on the red line, and the walk should take around 20 minutes.

Stadium express buses

Alternatively, there will be stadium express buses running from five locations across Doha. These buses will take fans a 30-minute walk away from Khalifa International Stadium.

Buses will start running four hours before kick off from the following locations:

Barwa Madinatna – 60-minute drive
Souq Waqif North – 35-minute drive
FIFA Fan Festival – 30-minute drive
West Bay – 35-minute drive
Barwa Barahat Al Janoub – 55-minute drive

The bus hub locations can be found on the Hayya to Qatar 2022 app.

You can also take a taxi or drive to the stadium, and you can find the location on Google Maps by clicking here.

Food and beverage options at Lusail Stadium

Alcohol is not being served at any of the World Cup stadiums. Instead, you will be able to grab Budweiser Zero – which is priced at QR30.

You can also buy soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Sprite for QR15, or water for QR10.

Foodwise, the emphasis is on grab-and-go dishes like fatayers (QR15), chicken shawarma (QR30), hot dogs (QR25), beef burgers (QR40) and veggie roll (QR25). For snacks, you can order popcorn or crisps (QR10).

Lusail Stadium design

The first thing fans will be struck by (other than the sheer size of the stadium) is its muted golden exterior. Sustainability lies at the heart of each of the World Cup venues, and Lusail is no different – as the years go by, the stadium will have the appearance of aged metal handicrafts.

The intricate decoration of the façade has been inspired by traditional motifs on bowls and other crockery from across the Arab and Islamic world.

While it is certainly impressive enough during the day, Lusail Stadium will really shine at night – quite literally. Openings in the façade will allow light to pass through and should mimic the glow of a fanar lantern.

Another important element of the stadium, which has been designed by Foster + Partners, is the roof. While it provides just the right amount of light to nourish that all-important pitch, and keep the demand on air conditioning to a minimum, it is also meant to work together with the curved sides of the stadium to reverberate fans’ cheers and help with atmosphere during games.

Plus, the focus on sustainability during the design process, including the use of recycled water to irrigate plants and leak detection systems, has meant that the venue conserves 40 percent more freshwater than conventional stadiums.

Lusail Stadium legacy

Lusail Stadium is the centrepiece of the new city, and that legacy will continue long after the final whistle.

Post-2022, the majority of the seats will be removed and donated to projects in countries with insufficient sporting infrastructure. Those that remain will be integrated into outdoor terraces for new homes.

Under its iconic roof, there are plans to build facilities including a school, affordable housing, shops, cafés and health clinics, ensuring that the stadium retains its community hub status. We can’t wait to see how it turns out.