Related Articles

• 
  Morocco issues tenders for $22m airport upgrade projects

  18 August 2025

  Morocco’s Office National des Aeroports (ONDA) has issued infrastructure development tenders worth over MD200m across four airports.

  According to local media, the largest tender is for constructing a new aircraft parking area and associated roadworks, valued at over MD107m ($12m), with bids due by 23 September.

  The second tender involves building public convenience facilities at Marrakech Menara Airport, estimated at MD48m ($5m), with bids due by 4 September.

  The third tender covers a new aircraft parking area and runway rehabilitation, with an estimated cost of MD43m ($4.7m). Bids are due by 23 September.

  The fourth tender is for expanding the baggage claim area at Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport, estimated at MD5m, with bids due by 4 September.

  Morocco’s construction sector is ramping up as the country continues awarding infrastructure contracts for the 2030 Fifa World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

  Morocco has made a strong start in preparing infrastructure for the tournament.

  According to data from regional project tracker MEED Projects, 2024 marked the strongest year in a decade for construction and transport contract awards in Morocco, with over $3.6bn in deals signed.

  With over $17bn in construction and transport projects in the pipeline, Morocco is expected to invest tens of billions in the near term to meet 2030 Fifa World Cup infrastructure needs.

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Nakheel awards $708m Dubai Islands villas contract

  18 August 2025

  Dubai-based developer Nakheel, now part of Dubai Holding, has awarded a AED2.6bn ($708m) contract to Abu Dhabi-based Fibrex Contracting to build the Bay Villas project at Dubai Islands.

  The contract includes the construction of 636 villas.

  The Dubai Islands development consists of five islands spanning 18.6 square kilometres. It features over 59km of waterfront and 20km of beaches, as well as parks, golf courses, promenades and cycling paths.

  This is the second major contract recently awarded by Nakheel to Fibrex Contracting.

  In February last year, Nakheel appointed Fibrex Contracting to deliver the District One West community in Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum City in Dubai.

  The offshore island project gained renewed momentum in 2022 when Nakheel unveiled a new masterplan and rebranded it as Dubai Islands.

  The reclaimed islands were originally part of the Palm Deira project, which was partially completed before being put on hold in 2008.

  Nakheel is also evaluating bids for a contract to build approximately 550 additional villas on fronds A to F of Palm Jebel Ali, an artificial island located south of Jebel Ali Freezone.

  This latest tender follows Nakheel’s award of three infrastructure contracts, worth over AED750m ($204m), to local firm Dutco Construction for works on Palm Jebel Ali. Completion is expected by the fourth quarter of 2026.

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Empower to build district cooling plant at Dubai Science Park

  18 August 2025

  Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has signed a contract to design a new district cooling plant at Dubai Science Park.

  The plant will have a total capacity of 47,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) and will serve nearly 80 mixed-use buildings in the area. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

  The project is part of Empower’s expansion strategy to meet rising demand for energy-efficient district cooling services in key areas of Dubai.

  Empower says it will deploy advanced technologies at the Dubai Science Park Waterfront district cooling plant. These include thermal energy storage, which optimises energy use during on-peak and off-peak hours, and treated sewage effluent, which conserves fresh water.

  It is understood that the plant will also leverage artificial intelligence applications to ensure maximum efficiency and sustainability.

  Empower currently holds over 80% of Dubai’s district cooling market and operates 88 district cooling plants across the emirate.

  In July, Empower began supplying district cooling services to phase one of the Al-Habtoor Tower project, which spans 3.5 million square feet.

  Empower stated that all phases of the district cooling connection are scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. Its total cooling capacity will reach 7,200 RT, equivalent to nearly 75% of the peak cooling demand of the Burj Khalifa.

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  Mark Dowdall
• 
  Oman issues tender for Grand Blue City construction

  18 August 2025

  

   

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  Grand Blue City Development Company (GBCD), backed by Oman’s sovereign wealth fund, the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), is preparing to commence the main construction works on its Grand Blue City project in the sultanate.

  According to a notice published on the Oman Tender Board, the client issued the site demolition works tender on 13 August and set a bid submission deadline of 31 August.

  It is understood that the demolition works package will prepare the site for the main construction works on the project’s first phase, which includes 100 luxury villas; 202 lagoon villas; a five-star hotel; 130 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced apartments; and 270 residential apartments.

  In June last year, GBCD appointed local contractor Galfar Engineering & Contracting to carry out the marine works for its Grand Blue City project.

  The contract awarded to Galfar is valued at RO12m ($31m) and is scheduled for completion over two years.

  In November 2023, MEED exclusively reported that Oman had revived plans to proceed with the long-stalled Blue City project.

  Egyptian architectural consultant Engineering Consultants Group is the project consultant for the first phase of the development. 

  The project, also known as Al-Madina Al-Zarqa, is located along the Al-Sawadi seafront, which is almost 100 kilometres (km) northwest of Muscat.

  Project background

  First launched in 2005, the project was led by the local Al-Sawadi Investment & Tourism Company (ASIT). In 2006, a joint venture of Greece’s Aktor and Turkiye’s Enka was awarded a $1.9bn design-and-build contract for the first phase of the Blue City development.

  Project promoter ASIT, which included the local Cyclone and Bahrain-based AAJ Holdings, held a 75-year concession from the government to develop the land.

  Construction began shortly after the contract award, but failed to gain momentum due to financial difficulties.

  The 2008-09 financial crisis caused further investment in the project to dry up, stalling progress. As a result, the scheme became burdened with unsustainable debt and was unable to proceed.

  In 2010, Dubai-based Essdar Investments made an offer to buy notes sold by the Blue City development at a discount. The company said it would pay 20% of the face value for class B1 and class C securities. 

  In 2012, Onyx Investments, a subsidiary of the OIA, attempted to take control of the project by offering to repurchase approximately $143m in outstanding bonds at 35 cents on the dollar.

  When it was initially conceived, Blue City was expected to cover 32km and become Oman’s third-largest city, including schools, apartment buildings and villas. It was viewed as an integral part of the sultanate’s economic diversification strategy.

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Stadiums become main event for Saudi construction

  15 August 2025

  

   

  Saudi Arabia’s construction industry is preparing for a massive wave of development as the kingdom advances its plans to host the Fifa World Cup in 2034. With billions of dollars set to be invested, the scale of upcoming projects promises to reshape the nation's infrastructure and offer long-term opportunities for contractors.

  Several local construction firms, working in joint ventures with international partners from Spain, Belgium and China, have already secured contracts for stadium developments. As more tenders are issued, additional contract awards are expected in the near future.

  To meet Fifa’s requirements, Saudi Arabia must provide a minimum of 14 all-seater stadiums—at least four of which must be existing venues. The tournament also mandates an 80,000-seat stadium for both the opening and final matches, 60,000-seat venues for the semi-finals, and at least 40,000 seats for all other games.

  The kingdom is expected to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure to support the event, ensuring years of steady work for both domestic and international contractors. Successful delivery will depend heavily on close collaboration between local firms and experienced global players willing to contribute to this ambitious programme.

  According to Saudi Arabia’s official bid book, 11 new stadiums will be built, bringing the total number of venues to 15. Most of these projects are anticipated to be brought to market within the next few years.

  

  Progress so far

  Saudi Arabia has already made significant strides in its preparations to host the Fifa World Cup 2034, awarding multibillion-dollar contracts for the construction of four major stadiums in recent months.

  In December 2024, the Ministry of Sports awarded a contract to the local Saudi Binladin Group for the redevelopment and expansion of the stadium at King Fahd Sports City in Riyadh. The upgrade will increase the stadium’s capacity from 68,752 to 92,000 seats, aligning with Fifa’s requirements for hosting key matches.

  The largest of the stadium contracts was awarded in January 2024, when the Public Investment Fund-backed Jeddah Central Development Company signed an estimated SR6.7bn ($1.8bn) deal for the construction of the Jeddah Central stadium and its surrounding facilities. The project was awarded to a joint venture of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), based in Beijing, and the local contractor Sama Construction for Trading & Contracting. The stadium will seat 46,000 spectators and is scheduled for completion by 2026.

  In February 2024, Saudi Aramco awarded another major contract – valued at about SR3.7bn ($1bn) – for the development of a new football stadium in Dammam. The joint venture of Belgian contractor Besix and Saudi-based Albawani will deliver the project. Spanning 800,000 square metres (sq m), the stadium will have a capacity of 45,000 spectators and form part of a broader masterplan for the area.

  Additionally, in October 2024, Qiddiya Investment Company – developer of one of the kingdom’s flagship gigaprojects—awarded a contract worth approximately SR3.7bn ($1bn) for the construction of the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium at Qiddiya City, near Riyadh. The project was awarded to a joint venture of Spain’s FCC Construction and local contractor Nesma & Partners. Designed to host 45,000 spectators, the stadium will feature a fully retractable pitch, roof and LED wall, highlighting the kingdom’s push for technologically advanced sports venues.

  Future prospects

  The biggest and most significant of the upcoming stadium schemes is the King Salman Stadium, which will be located north of Riyadh. The stadium, designed by the US-based architectural firm Populous, will be the showpiece venue for the tournament. It will cover an area of about 660,000 sq m and have a seating capacity of over 92,000 spectators.

  The tendering activity is expected to begin by the end of this year. The stadium will host the opening and final games of the Fifa World Cup 2034 tournament.

  Construction is expected to be completed by 2029.

  Other stadiums in the pipeline include the New Murabba Stadium, Roshn Stadium, South Riyadh Stadium, Qiddiya Coast Stadium, King Abdullah Economic City Stadium and Neom Stadium.

  In August, Saudi gigaproject developer Roshn received revised commercial proposals from contractors for a contract to build a new stadium located adjacent to the National Guard facilities southwest of Riyadh.

  To be delivered on an early contractor involvement (ECI) basis, it will cover an area of more than 450,000 sq m and accommodate 46,000 spectators.

  Procurement has also started on the expansion of Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh. On 14 August, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sport (MoS), in collaboration with the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP) and the Riyadh Region Municipality, issued an expression of interest and request for qualifications notice for the development of the project.

  The project will be delivered as a public-private partnership (PPP) under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model, with a contract duration of 20 to 30 years.

  The stadium will have a capacity of about 47,000 spectators.

  It will host major domestic and international football events, including matches during the 2034 Fifa World Cup.

  The scheme is the first of several stadiums expected to be delivered on a PPP basis in preparation for the 2034 Fifa World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

  With Riyadh pausing its gigaproject spending to prioritise event-driven projects, there is a greater emphasis on public-private partnership projects using private sector funding to deliver the projects.

  This is leading to more openness about project plans and improved transparency regarding issues and strategies, as the kingdom seeks to attract foreign investment in sectors that have been traditionally closed for foreign investment.

  The most striking developments in this direction took place in July when the kingdom announced the winning bidders for the rights to own and operate three sports clubs in the kingdom.

  The agreement marks the first time a foreign investor has owned a Saudi football club, with US-based investment firm Harburg Group winning ownership rights to Al-Kholood Football Club.

  This was followed by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sport (MoS), in collaboration with the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP) and the Riyadh Region Municipality, inviting interest for the development of the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Sports City in Riyadh on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis.

  The stadium will be procured under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain model, with a contract duration of 20 to 30 years.

  It involves the construction of a stadium in the north of King Abdullah Park in the Al-Malaz area of Riyadh, with a capacity of about 47,000 spectators. The stadium will host major domestic and international football events, including matches during the 2034 Fifa World Cup.

  As Saudi Arabia accelerates preparations to host the Fifa World Cup in 2034, momentum is building across the kingdom’s construction sector to develop strategies to deliver the stadiums and their associated infrastructure.

  

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  Yasir Iqbal