Artist paints iconic World Cup moments on world's largest art canvas

By Mohamad Kaddoura
Published
Split images of Emad Salehi while painting

Artist Emad Salehi recently managed to set a new world record for the largest art canvas measuring at 9,652 m² (103,893 ft² 37 in²) in Doha, Qatar.

The massive artwork was displayed in Qatar University's football field.

To put the size of the art canvas into perspective, it is around nineteen times as big as a basketball court!

The artwork created by Emad Salehi was called "The story of the ball".

Close up on the largest art canvas

Themed around football, the massive painting featured historical moments from previous FIFA World Cup's: showcasing hosting countries, winners, and some of the best players to ever play on a pitch.

The 42-year-old artist also wanted to highlight and showcase the Arabic culture through his art piece by implementing multiple Arabian landmarks and calligraphy.

drone shot of the largest art canvas in a football stadium in Qatar

So how much time does it take to create the world’s largest art canvas?

The answer would be five months, while spending 14 to 18 hours daily on average working on it.

Completing the project also required more than 3,000 litres of paint and 150 brushes.

Referees Stéphanie Frappart, Neuza Back, and Karen Diaz Medina

The 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar so far has seen many record-breaking achievements, including:

  • First all-female on-field referee team at a men's FIFA World Cup – by Stéphanie Frappart (France), Neuza Back (Brazil) and Karen Diaz Medina (Mexico). They officiated the game between Costa Rica and Germany, which finished 4-2 to Germany at Al Bayt Stadium
  • First player to assist in five different FIFA World Cups (male) – set by the legend Lionel Messi (Argentina) in Lusail, Qatar. Messi had assisted at the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups
  • First player to score in five different FIFA World Cups (male) – set by another football legend, Cristiano Ronaldo. He scored in Portugal's opening match against Ghana at Stadium 974
  • Smallest country (by landmass) to host a FIFA World Cup – Not only is Qatar the first Middle Eastern Country to host the world cup, but it is also the smallest, with a total area of 11,571 km²
  • Latest goal scored in regular time of a match at a FIFA World Cup - 102 minutes and 30 second by Mehdi Taremi (Iran), who scored the second goal by Iran in a match against England that ended with a score of 6-2