The major milestone was reached thanks to rigorous health and safety standards implemented by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), in collaboration with the main contractors – a joint venture between Al Balagh Trading & Contracting and Larsen & Toubro Limited – WSP Middle East, the construction supervision contractor, and project managers AECOM.

The 40,000-capacity stadium is slated to host matches up to the quarter-finals stage during Qatar 2022. It was built on the site of Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium – previously the home of popular local team Al Rayyan Sports Club. Around 90% of the materials from the old venue were reused in the new stadium and surrounding precinct. The stadium is set to be completed later this year.

Engineer Abdulla Al Fehani, Precinct Director, Al Rayyan Stadium, said: “We are very proud to achieve this milestone. The health and safety of our workforce is our number one priority – and milestones like this only serve to illustrate that fact.”

Al Fehani said progress on the venue – which will become the home of Al Rayyan Sports Club – continues unabated.

“We remain on track to complete the stadium in 2020 – according to our schedule. I am sure that football fans across the country – particularly the passionate supporters of Al Rayyan – cannot wait to attend a game at this stunning venue.”

Engineer Abdulla Al Bishri, the SC’s Health & Safety Manager, said exceptional collaboration and an unwavering commitment to health and safety were vital in achieving this milestone.

“We have achieved this milestone thanks to strong management, robust implementation and a culture of continuous improvement across our health and safety programme. We continuously monitor our work, including regular inspections and comprehensive audits. We also make the effort to regularly share lessons learned across our project sites.

“I would like to pay tribute to everyone involved in this effort – it is thanks to the hard work of the SC and our various contractors that we have achieved this outstanding milestone.”

Al Bishri said the SC had now exceeded 300 million work hours across its sites and has a low accident frequency rate of just 0.02% for the entire project.

“Our record is the result of dedication and hard work in the area of health and safety – something which will remain as a legacy for our country when it comes to construction and hosting more major events.”

Located adjacent to the Mall of Qatar and within walking distance of Al Riffa Station – on the Doha Metro Green Line – Al Rayyan Stadium will be a sporting landmark for the local community. Its striking design features a glowing façade, comprised of patterns that characterise different aspects of the country: the importance of family, the beauty of the desert, native flora and fauna, and local and international trade. A seventh shape, a shield, brings together all the others, representing the strength and unity that is particularly relevant to the proud desert city of Al Rayyan.