Sport

Qatar’s FIFA World Cup stadiums fitted with hi-tech air condition systems

Published

2 years ago

November 9, 2022

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be ground breaking in a number of ways when the first ball is kicked at the Al Bayt Stadium on November 20 as it will not only be the first time this global event takes place in a Gulf country, but also the first time stadiums will be cooled mechanically.

FIFA agreed to Qatar hosting the 2022 event but insisted the tournament be moved from the usual June-July spot to later in the year, due to Qatar’s soaring temperatures in the summer months.

While temperatures in November-December are much milder, they can still reach 30 degrees Celsius.

In summer, however, it is impossible to play football outdoors in Qatar with temperatures ranging between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius.

Despite the tournament taking place in Qatar’s cooler months, players and fans will still face hot and humid conditions, which led Qatari officials to devise a cooling plan.

Now, all eight stadiums have been equipped with specially designed cooling units.

The technology has been developed along with Qatar University, using solar energy to power fans that pull in outside air and cool it.

Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Qatar University and nicknamed "Dr Cool", worked for 13 years on the system that he says will keep the players and turf healthy and even eliminate body odor in a packed stadium.

In an interview with FIFA.com, he said: "We are not just cooling the air, we're cleaning it.

"We're purifying the air for spectators. For example, people who have allergies won't have problems inside our stadiums as we have the cleanest and purest air there is.

"Pre-cooled air comes in through grills built into the stands and large nozzles alongside the pitch. Using the air circulation technique, cooled air is then drawn back, re-cooled, filtered and pushed out where it is needed."

He also said the system is 40 percent more "sustainable" than existing techniques. All eight stadiums are air-conditioned and according to the organizers they will be carbon-neutral.

At the 40,000-capacity Al Janoub Stadium, which will host seven games Ghani said a two-meter-high "completely isolated bubble" of cool air will envelop the pitch and stands.

Inside the bubble, players and fans will be kept at 21 degrees Celsius by jets blasting air at the pitch side and under spectators' seats.

Sensors around the stadium will keep the temperature constant and even adjust air flows for seats in the shade or sun.

The rising air is sucked back into the stadium cooling system, cleaned by water kept at a brisk 7 degrees Celsius and pumped out again by the jets.

"The players will have the best experience of their lives," said Ghani, highlighting how the chilled air would prevent injuries and illness suffered in extreme heat.

The power for the system comes from a giant solar farm in the desert outside the capital Doha, he added.

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FIFA unveils Innovative Club World Cup Trophy ahead of new tournament in 2025

The tournament will kick off from Sunday 15 June and run through to Sunday 13 July.

Published

11 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Ariana News

FIFA has unveiled the official Innovative FIFA Club World Cup Trophy that will be lifted for the first time at next year’s tournament, set to be staged across 11 host cities in the United States.

The tournament will kick off from Sunday 15 June and run through to Sunday 13 July.

The new trophy, designed by FIFA and crafted in collaboration with global luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co., will be presented to the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup winners, who will be crowned after the final at the MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “Innovative, inclusive, groundbreaking and truly global, the new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup deserves a trophy that represents all of this. It is both prestigious and timeless – a golden trophy that is a symbol of the future and inspired by the past.”

“The team who lift this trophy will hold the world of club football in their hands. To the players who win it, history belongs to you! Let’s take it to the world and celebrate it as we look forward to the start of a new era for football when the one and only FIFA club world champions lift the FIFA Club World Cup Trophy in New York New Jersey on 13 July 2025.”

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Tiffany & Co., Anthony Ledru, added: “With a legacy dating back 160 years, Tiffany & Co. has crafted some of the most iconic championship trophies in history, setting the standard for craft and design.

“The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy is the next chapter in our long history of creating the world’s most revered symbols of athletic achievement.”

The trophy meanwhile boasts a 24-carat gold-plated finish and features intricate laser-engraved inscriptions on both sides, showcasing text and imagery that portray football’s rich history.

The inscriptions include a world map and the names of all 211 FIFA Member Associations and the six confederations, representing the geographical and cultural diversity of the game.

The trophy’s central disc displays an array of icons that capture football’s traditions, including symbols of stadiums and equipment and a world map.

The trophy also features engravings in 13 languages and Braille.

Space is available to laser-engrave the emblems of the winning clubs for 24 editions of the tournament.

In addition, the trophy can transform from a shield into a multifaceted and orbital structure – an adaptable design that establishes a powerful visual structure.

An inspiring message to the champions is engraved on the trophy, including the following: “To those who hold this trophy, history belongs to you! You are witness to a moment in time that represents the pinnacle of club football, bestowed upon few but celebrated by many.”

These words reflect the trophy’s status as a symbol of greatness, honoring the legends of the past while inspiring clubs globally.

A trophy for champions

Meanwhile, the winning team at each edition will receive a replica of the FIFA Club World Cup Trophy featuring engravings that mark their triumph after the final.

The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy will be presented to the world in its physical form on Thursday, 5 December 2024, when FIFA hosts the tournament’s draw in Miami, USA.

Sport

Eighteen Afghan players shortlisted for IPL auction

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2024

Ariana News

Eighteen Afghan players have been shortlisted for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auction scheduled in Saudi Arabia on November 24 and 25.

A total of 29 Afghan cricketers had registered for the auction.

On Friday, the IPL governing body unveiled the shortlist of 574 players, which includes 18 Afghans.

Out of the 574 Players, 366 are Indian and 208 are overseas, including 3 players from associate nations. The auction will include 318 Indian uncapped players and 12 uncapped overseas players.

204 slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players.

Full list of Afghan players shortlisted for the auction:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Noor Ahmad
Waqar Salamkheil
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Azmatullah Omarzai
Naveen-ul-haq
Zahir Khan Pakten
Sediqullah Atal
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Najibullah Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
Qais Ahmad
Karim Janat
Faridoon Dawoodzai
Nangyal Kharote

Sport

Paul beats Tyson as former heavyweight champ can’t turn back clock

Tyson, who wore a knee brace, never mounted much of a challenge after being wobbled by some left hands in the third round but did enough defensively to avoid taking any serious damage.

Published

2 days ago

November 16, 2024

Ariana News

Jake Paul beat boxing legend Mike Tyson by unanimous decision to win an intergenerational heavyweight battle in Texas on Friday that failed to live up to its enormous hype.

The bout between the 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-prizefighter Paul and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Tyson was streamed live on Netflix and played out in front of a sold-out crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Reuters reported.

Those fans were left largely disappointed as Tyson showed his age and was never able to generate any offense against his younger opponent, landing just 18 punches to Paul's 78.

"First and foremost, Mike Tyson - it's an honor to be able to fight him," said Paul.

"It was as tough and hard as I thought it would be."

Tyson, who wore a knee brace, never mounted much of a challenge after being wobbled by some left hands in the third round but did enough defensively to avoid taking any serious damage.

He admitted after the contest to fighting through a leg injury.

"Yeah, but I can't use that as an excuse. If I did, I wouldn't be in here," Tyson said.

"I knew he was a good fighter. He was prepared, I came to fight. I didn't prove nothing to anybody, only to myself. I'm not one of those guys that live to please the world. I'm just happy with what I can do."

Tyson, one of the most fearsome heavyweight champions of all time during his heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s, was in his first professional fight in nearly 20 years. He was non-committal when asked if he would return to the ring again.

"I don't know. It depends on the situation," he said.

Paul (11-1) said he can now fight anyone he wants, possibly even Mexican Canelo Alvarez, after being the main attraction in the mega event that brought out a star-studded crowd and 72,300 fight fans to the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

"This is the biggest event, over 120 million people on Netflix. We crashed the site, The biggest U.S. boxing gate, $20 million, in U.S. history, and everyone is next on the list."

TAYLOR BEATS SERRANO

In the co-main event earlier in the evening, Ireland's Katie Taylor retained her super lightweight title by beating Puerto Rico's Amanda Serrano in a controversial unanimous decision after a violent affair.

Serrano came forward throughout the fight but their heads crashed together hard in the early stages, resulting in a deep cut over Serrano's right eye. The referee later took a point off Taylor for head butts.

In the end all three judges scored it 95-94 for Taylor, who denied accusations from Serrano's corner that she was fighting dirty.

Taylor won the pair's previous meeting at New York's Madison Square Garden in April 2022 and said there would be a third meeting.