Qatar has unveiled plans to invest US$4 billion to build nine stadiums and upgrade three more in its bid to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Arabian Gulf emirate is hoping to become the first Arab country to host the tournament, with FIFA scheduled to confirm the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments in December this year.

FIFA representatives are currently visiting Qatar to evaluate its bid.

On show were designs including one in the shape of a sea urchin and another wrapped in a screen that will display moving video images during matches.

Qatar is competing against Japan, South Korea and Australia to host the 2022 competition, while Belgium/Netherlands, England, Russia, Portugal/Spain and the United States are seeking to host either the 2018 or 2022 events.

Qatar

Qatar is seeking to utilise its natural gas reserves to transform itself into a sports and cultural capital.

Plans involve spending $100 billion on infrastructure projects over the course of the next four years.

Six US universities, including Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon and Texas A&M, operate campuses in the emirate.

Nasser Al Khater, communications director for the Qatar 2022 bid organisers, said: “The stadiums are part of a larger plan.”

World Cup 2022

Qatari officials confirmed four of the stadiums will be constructed regardless of the outcome of the World Cup bidding process.

Work on one facility, Education City Stadium, is to be tendered next year.

Most of the stadiums are designed to hold about 45,000 people, and then cut to about 23,000 after the event, according to presentation material.

A design for an 86,000 capacity stadium to host the final and opening ceremony is yet to be announced.