Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Development Company has invited companies to prequalify for the contract to build the a new football stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Construction contractors expect Mubadala to issue the tender documents before the end of 2010.

The football stadium is part of the Capital District development adjacent to Khalifa City, located between Mussafah and Abu Dhabi International airport on the mainland.

Mubadala says the project involves a building a 65,000-seat stadium and a retractable dome roof that will shade the stadium when it is closed, and create a shaded area outside the stadium when it is open.

In 2008, Mubadala held talks with German contractor Ed Zueblin to design and build the stadium. However, the discussions failed to result in a contract award, although Zueblin did complete piling and enabling works (MEED 13:11:09).

UK-based Mott MacDonald is the project manager and UK firm Arup is the engineering consultant. Davis Langdon, also of the UK, is the cost consultant.

The UAE is promoting itself as a venue for major sporting events. Abu Dhabi will host football’s Fifa Club World Cup in December. In early November, the emirate hosted its first Formula One race.

In June, Mubadala rejected rumours it planned to build an Olympic-size stadium at its Mina Zayed Waterfront development in Abu Dhabi city.