# Why couldn't A/C solve Qatar 2022's stadium heat problem? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250 "2014-09-22T16:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/1 "2014-09-22T16:33:35Z")
Much ado is made about World Cup Qatar 2022’s extreme heat and the problem it would pose for fans and athletes indoors. Why couldn’t Qatar have simply built enclosed stadiums with air conditioning? It wouldn’t help people \*outside \*the stadiums at all, but the indoors fans and athletes would stay cool. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/2 "2014-09-22T16:41:26Z")
People outside the stadium matter too. The fans have to get there and if it’s brutally hot that is a problem. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/3 "2014-09-22T17:26:05Z")
The part I don’t get is why, if heat is an issue, was the World Cup awarded to Qatar in the first place, and even with that, planned for the summer? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/4 "2014-09-22T17:37:51Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The part I don’t get is why, if heat is an issue, was the World Cup awarded to Qatar in the first place, and even with that, **planned for the summer?** Because of pro soccer league seasons at other times. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/5 "2014-09-22T17:41:54Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The part I don’t get is why, if heat is an issue, was the World Cup awarded to Qatar in the first place, and even with that, planned for the summer? They bribed FIFA delegates to award them the tournament. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/6 "2014-09-22T17:52:28Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The part I don’t get is why, if heat is an issue, was the World Cup awarded to Qatar in the first place, and even with that, planned for the summer? What part of “rampant bribery & corruption at FIFA” are you not getting? Also what part of “sucking up to rich sponsors” aren’t you getting? ETA: simulpost w/ **Novelty Bobble**. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/7 "2014-09-22T18:20:29Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > What part of “rampant bribery & corruption at FIFA” are you not getting? Also what part of “sucking up to rich sponsors” aren’t you getting? > > ETA: simulpost w/ **Novelty Bobble**. /////high five\\\ You just sound a bit angrier than me. I’m past that point and into depressing acceptance. Interesting though that FIFA are at least being open about their [internal investigation](http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/19/fifa-investigation-2018-world-cup-2022-november-target) into corruption regarding the whole bidding process. Oh wait, no they aren’t. They are keeping it secret. Twats!..bugger, now I’m angry again. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/8 "2014-09-22T18:44:21Z")
If they relocate the tournament now, they get to double-dip the bribes. Win-win. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/9 "2014-09-22T18:48:00Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > They bribed FIFA delegates to award them the tournament. Plus, the old “bait and switch.” They promised air-conditioned stadia as part of their original bid, then once they got the Cup, they started backing down, saying that air-conditioning would be too expensive and wouldn’t really work anyway: [Qatar World Cup stadium designer tells 2022 hosts air conditioned stadiums must be scrapped](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2059031/World-Cup-2022-Qatar-air-conditioned-stadium.html) Previous thread on topic: [Qatar should withdraw their World Cup bid.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=648158) ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/10 "2014-09-22T19:13:26Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Oh wait, no they aren’t. They are keeping it secret. Twats!..bugger, now I’m angry again. Sounds like they attended the UN seminar on corruption fighting. The UN appointed a special invesigator to look into the rampant corruption and theft of UN funds that’s been going on for years. As soon as the poor schmuck started asking questions, they fired his ass. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/11 "2014-09-22T19:22:31Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Much ado is made about World Cup Qatar 2022’s extreme heat and the problem it would pose for fans and athletes indoors. > > Why couldn’t Qatar have simply built enclosed stadiums with air conditioning? It wouldn’t help people \*outside \*the stadiums at all, but the indoors fans and athletes would stay cool. The stadiums **will** be air-conditioned, including the whole of the pitch, despite the fact that the top is open. The energy consumed will be enormous, something like 11 MW for 15 hours, as the stadium has to be pre-cooled overnight to make the idea even vaguely practical. It is monumentally ridiculous and completely corrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/12 "2014-09-22T19:31:22Z")
> [@Bert\_Nobbins](#): > > The stadiums **will** be air-conditioned, including the whole of the pitch, despite the fact that the top is open. The energy consumed will be enormous, something like 11 MW for 15 hours, as the stadium has to be pre-cooled overnight to make the idea even vaguely practical. > > It is monumentally ridiculous and completely corrupt. So they’re going to build a nuclear power plant next door to provide the gigawatts of electricity needed to basically air condition the countryside for miles around? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/13 "2014-09-22T19:49:27Z")
I suspect they’ll just power it with oil. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/14 "2014-09-22T20:18:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I suspect they’ll just power it with oil. Not much oil in Qatar. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/15 "2014-09-22T20:26:34Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > So they’re going to build a nuclear power plant next door to provide the **gigawatts** of electricity needed to basically air condition the countryside for miles around? shit…how many gigawatts, is it 1.21? Because if they need some plutonium to get them started then I know some Libyans… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/16 "2014-09-22T20:51:02Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > /////high five\\\ > > You just sound a bit angrier than me. I’m past that point and into depressing acceptance. > > Interesting though that FIFA are at least being open about their [internal investigation](http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/19/fifa-investigation-2018-world-cup-2022-november-target) into corruption regarding the whole bidding process. > > Oh wait, no they aren’t. They are keeping it secret. Twats!..bugger, now I’m angry again. As an died in the wool Yank, I couldn’t give two hoots about whatever sport is to be played in the arena we’re discussing. I’m just familiar with the way the world works in general, and FIFA & Qatar as organizations in particular. … And jaded enough to wonder why our OP didn’t immediately conclude it was due to the by far most simple and logical explanation: the one you, and later I, provided. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/17 "2014-09-22T21:12:48Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > shit…how many gigawatts, is it 1.21? Because if they need some plutonium to get them started then I know some Libyans… Nope. Two words Mister Fusion. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/18 "2014-09-23T00:22:29Z")
[I’m sure many of you have seen it, but here is John Oliver on how FIFA is corrupt. It includes stuff about Qatar.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJEt2KU33I) ---
**Author:** ![Cognoscant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Cognoscant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cognoscant)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/19 "2014-09-23T01:01:14Z")
Maybe I’m over thinking this, but could they do covered stadiums and slide-in pitches, kind of like the NFL’s University of Phoenix Stadium (Arizona Cardinals’ stadium)? Keep the stadium cool but slide in the grass when it’s needed. Or is this impractical in Qatar too? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250/20 "2014-09-23T01:09:21Z")
> [@Bert\_Nobbins](#): > > The stadiums **will** be air-conditioned, including the whole of the pitch, \*\*despite the fact that the top is open. \*\*The energy consumed will be enormous, something like 11 MW for 15 hours, as the stadium has to be pre-cooled overnight to make the idea even vaguely practical. > > It is monumentally ridiculous and completely corrupt. Why don’t they close the top with a glass roof. sigh… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-couldnt-a-c-solve-qatar-2022s-stadium-heat-problem/699250.md?page=2)