China Railway Construction Corp has secured a contract to build a stadium for Qatar's 2022 World Cup with long-term plans involving its transformation into the Middle East's first Theatre District, it was announced on Tuesday.

The state-owned Chinese construction enterprise will operate as part of a joint venture with Qatari contractor HBK Contracting to build the 80,000-seater Lusail stadium that will host the opening and final matches of the 2022 World Cup.

The venue, located in Lusail City, 20km north of Qatar's capital Doha, is scheduled for completion by 2020, said a statement by Qatar's 2022 Supreme Committee.

The long term development plans for the stadium area include a Theatre District that will be the Middle East’s first of the kind, it added.

British architectural firm Foster + Partners completed the schematic design of the 80,000-seater stadium earlier this year.

“We are delighted to award the main contract for Lusail Stadium to HBK and CRCC as a joint venture. The awarding of this contract represents another important project milestone. Lusail Stadium will be the centre-piece of our tournament in 2022, and post tournament will become an integral part of the community in Lusail City in the legacy phase,” said secretary general Hassan Al Thawadi.

All eight stadiums currently under construction across Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup will feature innovative cooling technology.

Lusail stadium site construction began in 2014, with TIME Qatar as the project managers. Most recently early works and site office construction projects were completed by Galfar Al Misnad, with levelling and grading works and site and access roads completed by local contractor Marbu Contracting.

By the end of 2016, the main works contractor will be mobilised on site with plans to reveal the final stadium design to the world in early 2017.