Spokesperson Says Qatar To Decide On World Cup Stadiums By Year-End

An organizing committee spokesperson said that Qatar hopes "to decide how many stadiums it will use in hosting the 2022 World Cup by the end of this year," according to Matt Smith of REUTERS. Qatar "has announced details for five stadiums." Its bid included plans for 12 stadiums, "but those proposals were not binding and it is obliged to use at least eight." A spokesperson for Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which is responsible for the delivery of all tournament-related infrastructure, said, "The final number of stadiums is still to be confirmed, but it is expected a decision will be reached towards the end of 2015." The Supreme Committee "declined to estimate the total cost of stadium construction and renovation." The spokesperson said, "Due to the stadiums currently going through the tender process, we are not in a position to release any further budgetary figures at this stage" (REUTERS, 8/11).