Fuelled by these states’ immense oil wealth, they’re constructing buildings with a scale and ambition unparalleled anywhere in the world. The Qatar 2022 World Cup is no exception.

Despite being the smallest nation ever to host the football tournament, they’ve gone all out creating eight breathtaking stadiums – the envy of the world. All the stadiums are powered by solar-panel farms, and, given Qatar’s scorching climate, their cooling systems have been meticulously designed. After all, fainting football superstars do not make the best headlines.

In fact, Qatar’s dedication to sound environmental practices earned all the stadiums four or five stars from the Global Sustainability Assessment System. It’s all very impressive.

Let’s take a tour around these eight modern marvels. We’re exploring how they were made, what they cost, and the unbelievable story behind each.