Post 2022 FIFA World Cup in the State Qatar: Urban Regeneration Strategies for Doha

Abstract

2022 FIFA World Cup is a vital event which will occur in Doha -capital city of the State of Qatar- and shape its present and future urban growth. The capital-city is rapidly developing towards the success of this mega-event in a very short timeframe. Therefore, there is a profound challenge in planning for this event while planning for the needs of the city. How does planning for the 2022 FIFA World Cup affect the urban planning of the city? What happens at conclusion of the world cup? This research study investigates the post-event planning strategies and project repurposing plans for Doha, to assess the compatibility between planning for the World Cup and planning for the city. The strategy consists of (1) a review of the literature - a case study of London, a previous Mega event host city, with focus on the post-event urban growth strategies, and (2) an evaluation of the post-event urban regeneration strategies set for Doha. The first part of the process identifies the best practices and strategies, which are then used as basis for the assessment and comparison for Doha. Data about Doha is collected through structured interviews with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the responsible authority for planning and managing the 2022 FIFA World Cup. After conducting interviews with the Supreme Committee, it is revealed that post-event urban regeneration strategies are still under discussions, and only general guidelines are foreseen. Therefore, this research study suggests and highlights relevant post 2022 FIFA World Cup’s urban regeneration strategies that can be implemented for Doha.