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  Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace

  14 July 2026

  

   

  Construction activity at the Expo 2030 Riyadh site is accelerating, with Expo Riyadh 2030 Company (ERC) moving to award its first major vertical contracts and advancing infrastructure works across a programme that will eventually require between 50,000 and 70,000 workers at peak.

  Saudi Arabia’s first World Expo runs from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031. Riyadh was awarded the hosting rights in November 2023, winning the vote in the first round, and the event is projected to attract more than 40 million visits over its six months. Beyond the event itself, the project carries significant economic weight: ERC, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), expects the construction phase and legacy development to contribute around $64bn to Saudi GDP and generate approximately 171,000 direct and indirect jobs, with the live event contributing a further $5.6bn.

  The masterplan covers 6 million square metres to the north of Riyadh, adjacent to the future King Salman International airport. After the event closes, ERC plans to transform the site into a global village combining retail, food and beverage and an international residential community – meaning every asset being built now is being designed with its post-Expo purpose in mind.

  

  Infrastructure works under way

  The earliest works on site – bulk earthworks including cut, fill and levelling – have been completed by local contractor Binyah, with millions of cubic metres of material moved to bring the site to design level.

  The programme has now moved into utility infrastructure, which has been split into two packages. Nesma is constructing the primary utility networks – the main corridor running around the site carrying high-voltage power lines, water mains, sewerage and communications – while Al-Yamama is delivering the secondary networks that bring services into the central event area, with construction expected to commence this month.

  Power has been a priority. ERC has worked with the Saudi electricity sector since 2025 to develop the site’s demand profile, and an agreement for permanent supply has been signed. Design and procurement of the main substation and primary power infrastructure are under way, with a contract award expected within weeks and full permanent power – at a capacity of 400MW – targeted approximately 18 months ahead of the event.

  An initial 25MW supply to power site operations and support testing and commissioning is already installed and ready to be energised.

  On water, ERC is finalising an agreement with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), the Saudi Water Authority and the National Water Company, with an announcement expected in Q3 and construction targeted to start in 2027.

  Transport and connectivity

  With more than 42 million visits anticipated over the six-month event, transport connectivity is treated as central to the project’s success. ERC is working with RCRC on a mobility plan that covers several modes. Two road enhancement projects around the airport and along King Salman Road are expected to be announced shortly, increasing capacity on the main arteries approaching the site.

  A dedicated Expo metro station on Riyadh Metro Line 4 – which connects the airport to the city centre – will be built within the site boundary, forming the first stop from the airport towards Riyadh, and providing a direct link for international arrivals.

  A park-and-ride programme using dedicated bus lanes will serve domestic visitors parking at locations across the city.

  A hotel within the fenced Expo site is also nearing contract, with a design agreement close to signature. ERC says the intention is to give guests staying on site “the full experience from early morning when the gates open until late at night when the gates close” – an offer it expects will prove particularly popular with international visitors.

  

  Pavilions and vertical assets

  The Expo's masterplan is organised around five districts, each echoing one of the event’s sub-themes under its overarching theme of Foresight for Tomorrow: planet, people, technology, collaboration and culture. ERC is responsible for delivering a signature pavilion in each district, plus an iconic structure in the Global Collaboration district and a convention centre intended to serve both the event and Riyadh’s long-term conference market.

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Pavilion, one of the centrepieces of the event, is also under ERC’s delivery responsibility. Design work is progressing across all these assets with engineering firms taking concepts through to schematic and detailed design.

  For international participating countries, this edition of the Expo marks a significant departure from previous editions. Rather than grouping lower-income countries into shared halls, all participants will have their own national pavilion.

  “In this edition, we are following the ‘one nation, one pavilion’ model, whereby each country has its own pavilion, and we have a dedicated budget to help up to 100 eligible countries deliver those pavilions,” says Murad Al-Sayed, ERC’s chief delivery officer.

  Contracting strategy

  The contracting approach for vertical assets is being calibrated to the complexity of each building. Less complex assets will be procured on a design-and-build basis.

  For the most complex – the KSA Pavilion and the iconic structure – ERC is using a two-stage model, separating enabling works and substructure from the main contract. This allows construction to begin on site while the main package is finalised and brings contractors into the design process earlier.

  “We are adopting different contracting strategies depending on the asset – its size, complexity and anticipated construction duration,” Al-Sayed says.

  For the KSA Pavilion, enabling and substructure works are already in the market, with an award targeted in Q3, allowing construction to start before the main contract – for which nine tier-one contractors, local and international, have been invited to bid – is awarded towards the end of the year. Packages for the remaining signature pavilions are expected to follow later this year and into 2026.

  On commercial terms, ERC is favouring lump-sum contracts where design maturity allows, with provisional sum or remeasurement provisions used where elements remain in development. A final public realm package, covering site-wide finishing works, remains under design and is expected to be tendered in 2026, sequenced deliberately to be installed last and once only ahead of the event.

  Bidding appetite from the market has been strong. ERC says all tenders issued to date have attracted healthy numbers of qualified bids, reflecting a contracting market that has eased over the past 18 months as several gigaprojects elsewhere in the kingdom have reached completion or had their timelines revised.

  Programme and supply chain

  ERC is targeting completion of major construction by the end of 2029, leaving six to nine months for finishing, snagging and operational testing. To ease the build programme for international participants, ERC is making plots available up to 36 months before the event – around nine to 12 months longer than the industry norm – giving countries more schedule float to complete their pavilions.

  On the supply chain, ERC is leaning heavily on local manufacturers for current infrastructure work, covering piping, cabling, electrical equipment and bulk materials. As construction moves above ground and international participants begin work on their pavilions from 2027 onwards, ERC will make its database of prequalified local contractors, suppliers and consultants available to them through a dedicated one-stop shop – a registration exercise already under way and expected to remain open until the event itself.

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  Colin Foreman
• 
  Jordan tenders IPP8 power project

  14 July 2026

  Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (Nepco) has issued a tender for a contract to develop the 700MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power project known as independent power project 8 (IPP8).

  Companies understood to have prequalified include France’s EDF, Saudi Arabia’s Acwa and Egypt’s Orascom Construction. Bids are due in July, although the market expects the closing date may be extended.

  MEED reported in November last year that Nepco had invited developers to submit prequalification documents for IPP8. The project will be developed on a build, own and operate (BOO) basis and will supply power to the national grid under a 25-year agreement.

  Natural gas will serve as the primary fuel, with light distillate as backup. The facility will be connected to Nepco’s 132kV/400kV transmission infrastructure, which will be built separately.

  In April, MEED reported that Nepco had signed an agreement to establish a natural gas supply point for the 700MW IPP7. The agreement was signed with Fajr Jordanian-Egyptian for Natural Gas Transmission and Supply to support fuel provision for the CCGT plant.

  The plant will be developed in partnership with Etihad Development Company, a subsidiary of the UAE’s Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE), following recent approval by the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources.

  The IPP7 plant is expected to meet about 10% of Jordan’s electricity demand once operational. It is also intended to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the national power system.

  The project is scheduled to become operational between 2027 and 2028.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17662814/main.jpg

  Colin Foreman
• 
  Modon awards $200m Ras El-Hekma infrastructure deal

  14 July 2026

  Abu Dhabi-based developer Modon Holding has awarded a E£10bn ($200m) contract for infrastructure development works in the Wadi Yemm district of Ras El-Hekma, a planned new city on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.

  The contract was awarded to a joint venture of Egypt’s Rowad Modern Engineering and Lebanon's Consolidated Contractors Company.

  Wadi Yemm is the first of the 17 planned precincts to move into active delivery.

  It is a mixed-use cultural and hospitality district, anchored by Ras El-Hekma Lighthouse and a 10,000-seat amphitheatre, designed to host cultural and entertainment programming.

  The latest contract award at Wadi Yemm follows the appointment of local contractor Hassan Allam Construction to build the Montage hotel and branded residences project.

  Montage Ras El-Hekma includes 200 guestrooms and suites, along with 96 branded villas.

  Ras El-Hekma is located on a spur of land on Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coastline, about 240 kilometres west of Alexandria.

  Abu Dhabi-based holding company ADQ appointed Modon Holding as the master developer for the Ras El-Hekma project in 2024. Modon will oversee the overall development, which covers more than 170 million square metres (sq m).

  Modon will develop the first phase of the project, covering 50 million sq m. The remaining 120 million sq m will be developed in partnership with private developers, under the supervision of the recently established ADQ subsidiary Ras El-Hekma Urban Development Project Company and Modon.

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  READ THE JULY 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Stress test for Gulf aviation; Mixed performance as country outlooks diverge in the Levant; GCC tourism sector pivots from crisis to recovery mode.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Gulf aviation ambitions face uncertain future > AIRPORTS: Dubai and Riyadh reaffirm airport ambitions > MARKET FOCUS: Levant recovers in three speeds  > INDUSTRY REPORT: Dubai eyes tourism sector recovery > INTERVIEW: EtihadWE prepares roadmap for future projects  > PROJECTS MARKET: Mena project momentum holds despite conflict  > DATA CENTRES: Big Tech falls short on data centre promise > SAVINGS: Retirement creates multibillion-dollar opportunity for region   > LEADERSHIP: Aramco’s citizen developers accelerate digital change

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

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  Yasir Iqbal
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  AtkinsRealis wins key Riyadh infrastructure roles

  14 July 2026

  Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis has been awarded a contract by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to support the operation and expansion of the Riyadh Metro and oversee the delivery of major road infrastructure projects across the capital.

  AtkinsRealis will provide engineering consultancy, project management, construction supervision and technical oversight for ongoing works on the Riyadh Metro.

  The agreement was signed during the Saudi Arabia-Canada Investment Forum in Jeddah, held on the sidelines of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the kingdom.

  The company will also supervise a portfolio of strategic road development schemes designed to strengthen Riyadh’s wider transport network.

  AtkinsRealis also recently secured a contract to deliver lead design services for the Place & Planet Pavilion at the Expo 2030 Riyadh site.

  The contract was awarded by Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, which is tasked with delivering the Expo 2030 Riyadh venue.

  AtkinsRealis will deliver the full architectural and engineering design for the pavilion, coordinate all relevant design disciplines and embed sustainable design principles throughout.

  The Place & Planet Pavilion is anticipated to be a key attraction at Expo 2030 Riyadh.

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  READ THE JULY 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Stress test for Gulf aviation; Mixed performance as country outlooks diverge in the Levant; GCC tourism sector pivots from crisis to recovery mode.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Gulf aviation ambitions face uncertain future > AIRPORTS: Dubai and Riyadh reaffirm airport ambitions > MARKET FOCUS: Levant recovers in three speeds  > INDUSTRY REPORT: Dubai eyes tourism sector recovery > INTERVIEW: EtihadWE prepares roadmap for future projects  > PROJECTS MARKET: Mena project momentum holds despite conflict  > DATA CENTRES: Big Tech falls short on data centre promise > SAVINGS: Retirement creates multibillion-dollar opportunity for region   > LEADERSHIP: Aramco’s citizen developers accelerate digital change

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

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17660065/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Clarifications begin for Saudi Landbridge Riyadh section

  14 July 2026

  

   

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  Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has begun post-tender clarifications with bidders for a contract to design and build the Riyadh Rail Link, a new north-to-south railway line across the capital.

  MEED understands that the latest round of clarifications with bidders was held last week.

  Contractors submitted their commercial proposals on 30 June, as MEED reported.

  The bidders include:

  • China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation / Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting (China/local)
  • Nesma & Partners / China Harbour Engineering Company (local/China)
  • Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting / IC Ictas Construction / Saipem (local/Turkiye/Spain)
  • Saudi Binladin Group (local)

  The scope includes a 35-kilometre double-track line connecting SAR’s North-South Railway to the Eastern Railway network.

  Issued on 29 January, the tender also covers the procurement, construction and installation of associated infrastructure, including viaducts, civil works, utility diversions/installations, signalling systems and other related works.

  Once delivered, the Riyadh Rail Link is expected to become a key component of the Saudi Landbridge railway.

  In January, SAR said it would deliver the Saudi Landbridge project through a “new mechanism” by 2034, after failing to reach an agreement with a Chinese consortium to construct it, as MEED reported.

  In an interview with local media, SAR CEO Bashar Bin Khalid Al-Malik said the consortium failed to meet local content requirements, and that the project would instead be delivered in several phases under a different procurement model.

  Negotiations have been under way between Saudi Arabia and China-backed investors interested in developing the scheme through a public-private partnership (PPP). Al-Malik put the project cost at about SR100bn ($26.6bn).

  Overall, it comprises more than 1,500km of new track. A core element is a 900km railway between Riyadh and Jeddah, providing the capital with direct freight access to King Abdullah Port on the Red Sea.

  Other key elements include upgrading the existing Riyadh-Dammam line, a bypass around the capital known as the Riyadh Link, and a connection between King Abdullah Port and Yanbu.

  The Saudi Landbridge is one of the kingdom’s most anticipated project programmes. First announced in 2004, it was put on hold in 2010 before being revived a year later. Rights-of-way issues, route alignment and the high cost have been among the main stumbling blocks.

  ---

  READ THE JULY 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Stress test for Gulf aviation; Mixed performance as country outlooks diverge in the Levant; GCC tourism sector pivots from crisis to recovery mode.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Gulf aviation ambitions face uncertain future > AIRPORTS: Dubai and Riyadh reaffirm airport ambitions > MARKET FOCUS: Levant recovers in three speeds  > INDUSTRY REPORT: Dubai eyes tourism sector recovery > INTERVIEW: EtihadWE prepares roadmap for future projects  > PROJECTS MARKET: Mena project momentum holds despite conflict  > DATA CENTRES: Big Tech falls short on data centre promise > SAVINGS: Retirement creates multibillion-dollar opportunity for region   > LEADERSHIP: Aramco’s citizen developers accelerate digital change

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

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17659657/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal