FIFA - World Cup Qatar 2022 Countdown Clock

Unveiled on 21st November 2021, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Official Countdown Clock became a dynamic, innovative symbol of the first ever football World Cup in the Middle East.

The Sands of Time

The World Cup brings us all together, the power to unite through the beautiful game. The concept was simple and born from a single thought - The Sands of Time.

Elegantly interwoven with Arab history and culture, the clock’s award-winning design symbolises the wealth of possibility Qatar brings to the World Cup, and the legacy that the tournament will pave for future hosts.

The Infinity Symbol brought to life

Inspired by the infinity symbol shape of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM logo, we transformed a two-dimensional logo into a three-dimensional sculptural form that transforms as audiences walk around it and celebrate the notion of time through two unique mechanics. Firstly, the mirror-finished stainless steel Möbius and secondly, the three-dimensional hourglass. Both design features meant that we had arrived at a physical and digital expression of ‘time’.

The latter would become a canvas for virtual stories - a time capsule that leverages the power of social media around the world through a series of hashtags, the world was invited to express their passion for football and their contributions were featured within dynamic content that featured on a curved LED.

An iconic location

The design can be viewed in 360 degrees, giving audiences striking views of not only the content being generated but also the exceptional landscape of its location and surroundings, framed by the spectacular Doha city skyline in the background.

Our chosen location for the clock was the Corniche Fishing Spot at the heart of the Doha Corniche, and as part of our experience, we offset the clock on the main jetty site, perfectly aligned to the city skyline - from one side, a view of the future towards West Bay and the other, a view of the past heroing the Amiri Diwan and historical Souq Waqif.

Groundbreaking craftsmanship

The Möbius inspired loop was one of the most challenging aspects of this design. The ambition was for this form to twist and undulate on all planes, meaning every section of the build was unique. The three-dimensional digital hourglass, with its interactivity, was something that had not been done before. The technical backbone that drives the Countdown Clock is at the very cutting edge of technical innovation and operates with the utmost reliability.

Value for the audience

The design countdown clock symbolises the pride that the people of Qatar have in their past and their ambition for the future. Qatar is a melting pot of cultures and they welcomed the legions of fans who travelled to experience the World Cup. These fans engaged with the locals and created unique memories, many of which happened on the Corniche, with the Countdown Clock framing their new conversations and experiences.

Value for FIFA and Qatar

The design has come to represent a symbol of this historic moment in time for Qatar on the global stage. Celebrating the thrills of the tournament itself and enhancing the country’s reputation & cultural relevance as the first Muslim country to host a football World Cup and FIFA’s mission to open football to the world.

1m+ VISITS BY FANS 

100+ COUNTRIES AMPLIFIED TO THE WORLD 

Gold AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN DESIGN, DESIGN MIDDLE EAST AWARDS

3 DIFFERENT CONTINENTS DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED