The Qatar World Cup venue designed by celebrated Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid will be finished by the end of 2018, officials responsible for the project said today.

The 40,000 capacity, $575 million Al-Wakrah Stadium is expected to be one of two further 2022 venues completed this year.

Building work on the 60,000 Al-Bayt stadium is also expected to be completed by December.

If so, it will mean Qatar -- which is spending almost $500 million a week on World Cup projects – will have built almost half of its proposed eight venues with four years still to go to the tournament.