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• 
  Prequalification begins for Riyadh King Salman Stadium

  27 November 2025

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  Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry has issued a notice inviting companies to prequalify for a contract to design and build the King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.

  The notice was issued on 26 November, with a prequalification deadline of 16 February.

  The stadium will cover an area of about 660,000 square metres (sq m) and will have a seating capacity of 92,000.

  The stadium will feature a 150-seat royal suite, 120 hospitality suites, 300 VIP seats and 2,200 dignitary seats.

  The plan also includes several sports facilities covering more than 360,000 sq m, including two training fields and fan zones; a closed sports hall; an Olympic-sized swimming pool; an athletics track; and outdoor courts for volleyball, basketball and padel.

  The new stadium will host the final of the 2034 Fifa World Cup and will serve as the Saudi national football team’s main headquarters.

  US-based architectural firm Populous is the lead architect for the stadium.

  Construction of the stadium is expected to be completed by 2029.

  The stadium will be located next to King Abdulaziz Park.

  Saudi Arabia stadium plans

  In August last year, MEED reported that Saudi Arabia plans to build 11 new stadiums to host the Fifa World Cup in 2034.

  Eight stadiums will be located in Riyadh, four in Jeddah and one each in Al-Khobar, Abha and Neom.

  An additional 10 cities will host training bases. These are Al-Baha, Jazan, Taif, Medina, Alula, Umluj, Tabuk, Hail, Al-Ahsa and Buraidah.

  There are expected to be 134 training sites across the kingdom, including 61 existing facilities and 73 new training venues.

  The kingdom was officially selected to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup through an online convention of Fifa member associations at the Fifa Congress on 11 December 2024.

  

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15166460/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Morocco signs $861m deal for polysilicon plant

  27 November 2025

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  Morocco has signed a MD8bn ($861m) investment agreement with GPM Holding to establish the country’s first polysilicon manufacturing plant in the southern province of Tan-Tan.

  GPM Holding is a US-based company and a key partner in Green Power Morocco (GPM), which specialises in the installation and maintenance of photovoltaic solar panels.

  GPM is a joint venture with UAE-based renewable energy company Amea Power.

  The planned facility will be located in the El-Ouatia industrial zone, according to the North African country’s Ministry of Investment.

  The facility will have an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes, with 85% earmarked for export.

  The plant is expected to generate 1,500 direct and more than 2,000 indirect jobs and strengthen Morocco’s position in renewable energy supply chains, particularly in the manufacturing of solar panel components, according to the Ministry of Investment.

  Last year, GPM completed a 34MW solar project in Hjar Nhal, south of Tangier, under a corporate power purchase agreement.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15163133/main.jpg

  Wil Crisp
• 
  Bahrain’s economy walks precarious path

  26 November 2025

  Download the PDF

  

  ---

  MEED’s December 2025 report on Bahrain includes:

  > COMMENT: Manama pursues reform amid strain
  > GVT & ECONOMY: Bahrain’s cautious economic evolution
  > BANKING: Mergers loom over Bahrain’s banking system
  > OIL & GAS: Bahrain remains in pursuit of hydrocarbon resources
  > POWER & WATER: Bahrain advances utility reform
  > CONSTRUCTION: Bahrain construction faces major slowdown
  > TRANSPORT: Air Asia aviation deal boosts connectivity

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

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  MEED Editorial
• 
  Rua Al-Madinah signs hotel operations agreement

  26 November 2025

  Saudi Arabia’s Rua Al-Madinah, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) subsidiary tasked with Medina’s tourism and cultural development, has signed a hotel operations and management agreement with Adeera Hospitality for its Rua Al-Madinah project.

  Adeera Hospitality, which PIF also backs, will operate two buildings comprising 250 hotel rooms and 120 residential units under its Alia brand within the Rua Al-Madinah project, which is being developed near the Prophet’s Mosque.

  Adeera joins Rua Al-Madinah’s roster of hotel operators, which includes leading global hospitality brands such as Marriott, Hyatt, Accor and Hilton.

  The Rua Al-Madinah development includes the construction of 18 hotels under three categories – three-star, four-star and five-star – as well as secondary infrastructure.

  The towers will range in height from 11 to 21 storeys.

  Rua Al-Madinah estimates that superblock five will require 430,000 cubic metres of concrete, 875,000 square metres of block wall, 423,000 sq m of drywall, 74,000 tonnes of steel rebar, 215,000 sq m of tiles, and 228,000 sq m of facades, curtain walls and windows.

  The hotels, which will mainly provide accommodation for pilgrims visiting the holy city, will have a built-up area of about 65,000 sq m.

  In February last year, the client awarded two contracts worth SR300m ($80m) to international consulting firms for work on the superblocks four and five components of the Rua Al-Madinah project.

  Rua Al-Madinah signed a contract with US-based engineering firm Jacobs for design consultancy services for 12 hotels and other infrastructure for superblock four of the project.

  Another contract was signed with US-based KEO International Consultants to oversee the implementation of the superblock five project.

  Other consultants working on superblock five include US-based Perkins Eastman and Singapore-based Meinhardt. 

  UAE-based Ema Design is the interior designer.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15158923/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Meraas confirms $517m The Acres villas contract award

  26 November 2025

  Dubai-based real estate developer Meraas, now part of Dubai Holding Group, has confirmed that it has awarded a AED1.9bn ($517m) contract to build 642 three-, four- and five-bedroom villas as part of the first phase of its residential community, The Acres, in Dubailand.

  The contract was awarded to the local firm United Engineering Construction Company.

  MEED exclusively reported in August that Meraas had awarded the contract for the project.

  The Acres project is designed by local architectural practice U+A Architects.

  The masterplan includes 1,200 villas ranging from three to seven bedrooms.

  It also features a nursery, school, clinic, mosques, clubhouses, a retail zone, a 2,000-square-metre garden, walking and biking trails, an outdoor gym, children’s playgrounds, swimming pools and sports facilities.

  The latest announcement follows Meraas awarding a AED440m ($120m) contract for the construction of the Northline residential project in the Al-Wasl area of Dubai.

  The contract was awarded to the local GCC Contracting Company.

  The project includes the construction of three residential buildings. Construction work is expected to begin shortly, and the project is slated for completion by 2027.

  Meraas’ latest project contract awards in Dubai are backed by heightened real estate activity in the UAE’s construction market. Schemes worth over $323bn are in the execution or planning stages, according to UK analytics firm GlobalData.

  The company forecasts that the output of the UAE’s construction sector will grow by 4.2% in real terms in 2025, supported by developments in infrastructure, energy and utilities, as well as residential construction projects.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15158561/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal