Qatar’s 2020 World Cup stadiums inspired by Arab, Gulf culture

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DOHA, June 24, (Agencies): Qatar’s 2020 World Cup stadiums embody the Arab and Gulf culture through their magnificent architectural designs. Al-Thumama stadium’s design is inspired by the (Gahfiya), a traditional woven cap worn for centuries by men in many Arab countries. The style and even the name of the gahfiya varies slightly from country to country, yet still binds Arab nations together through shared tradition. Lusail magnificent stadium is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow that characterizes the (fanar) lantern, while Al-Bayt stadium takes its name from Bayt Al-Shaar, which is a tent historically used by nomadic people in Qatar and the Gulf region. Ahmad bin Ali stadium embodies the Qatari desert, while the Education City stadium’s design represents quality, durability and resilience through an Islamic inspiration. Meanwhile, the away-goals rule was abolished Thursday by UEFA after 56 years as a fundamental way of deciding matches in its European club competitions.

The move was often proposed in recent years by club coaches who felt an idea from the 1960s was no longer relevant. Games now tied on aggregate score after the regulation 90 minutes in the second leg will go direct to extra time and then to a penalty shootout. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin cited the “unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored.” UEFA cited several factors that “blurred the lines between playing at home and away” including more television coverage to better understand opponents’ styles, comfortable travel and better playing surfaces. Čeferin said the rule outlived its usefulness and inhibited home teams from attacking “because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage.”

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