meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Top 15 Saudi stadium projects

30 August 2024

 

Saudi Arabia formally kicked off its World Cup participation process in October last year after announcing that it planned to bid to host the event. The announcement was a culmination of Riyadh’s football-focused strategy launched two years before when a consortium led by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth vehicle, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), completed the full acquisition of UK football club Newcastle United from St James Holdings in 2021.

The move was further solidified when Saudi Arabia was effectively confirmed as the host after Australia, the only other bidder for the tournament, withdrew from the race in October last year.

This was followed by Saudi Arabia’s official bid campaign reveal and the submission of its bid to Fifa to host the World Cup 2034 event in July. The official selection of Saudi Arabia as the 2034 host is expected to be confirmed on 11 December.

Saudi Arabia will likely invest hundreds of billions of dollars in developing the required infrastructure to host the event. Experience from previous World Cups, including the most recent one in Qatar, has shown that hosting the tournament can transform a country’s economy.

The tournament brings in fans from around the world to enjoy a month-long festival of football. After the 2022 tournament, Qatar issued a statement saying that more than 1.4 million fans had visited the country during the event.

The decision to host the Fifa World Cup 2034 is a pivotal moment for Saudi Arabia as it validates much of the social and economic change that the kingdom has embarked upon since Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman launched Vision 2030 back in 2016.

Building stadiums is the most prominent part of the bid to host the coveted Fifa World Cup.

According to the official bid book document submitted by Saudi Arabia in July, it will construct 11 new stadiums as part of its bid to host the Fifa World Cup 2034.

Eight out of the 15 stadiums are located in the capital, Riyadh, four in Jeddah and one each in Al-Khobar, Abha and Neom. 

The event requires a minimum of 14 all-seater stadiums, of which at least four should be existing structures. The capacity must be at least 80,000 seats for the opening and final matches, and for the semi-finals, there must be at least 60,000 seats. For all other matches, at least 40,000 seats are needed.

The kingdom has recently ramped up its announcements regarding building new stadiums across the country in preparation to host the event. 

1. King Salman Stadium

The King Salman Stadium will be the showpiece venue for the tournament. The US-based architectural firm Populous-designed stadium will cover an area of about 660,000 square metres (sq m) and have a seating capacity of over 92,000 spectators.

The stadium will host the opening and final games of the Fifa World Cup 2034 tournament. The construction of the stadium is expected to be completed by 2029.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Opening and final games
2. King Fahad Sports City Stadium

The King Fahad Sports City Stadium is expected to be the venue for the semi-final. The stadium will be refurbished to increase its seating capacity from its current 58,000 seats to 70,200 seats.

The main contract bid submission process is ongoing and the project’s expansion works are expected to begin early next year. The stadium will also be a venue for the AFC Asian Cup 2027.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Semi-final
3. Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, Qiddiya City

The Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium will be built on top of a 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliff located in the new sports and entertainment district of Qiddiya City.

The stadium will have a capacity to accommodate 46,979 spectators and will feature a fully combined retractable pitch, roof and LED wall. The construction works are expected to begin later this year. 

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Qiddiya Investment Company, Populous
  • Match category: Third-place playoff
4. New Murabba Stadium

The New Murabba Stadium will have the capacity to accommodate 46,010 spectators and will be built as part of the New Murabba downtown project in Riyadh.

The construction of the stadium is expected to be completed by 2032.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: New Murabba Development Company
  • Match category: Round of 32
5. Roshn Stadium

The Roshn stadium will be built in the southwest of Riyadh. The planned facility will have the capacity to accommodate 46,000 spectators and will span an area of over 450,000 sq m. 

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Roshn
  • Match category: Round of 32
6. Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Sports City Stadium

The Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium is earmarked for an expansion that aims to increase its seating capacity from its current 22,188 seats to 46,865 seats. 

The facility will also host the AFC Asian Cup in 2027.

The refurbishment works will change the geometry of the seating bowl from an athletics stadium to a football stadium.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 32

Saudi World Cup bid bucks global trend for sporting events

7. South Riyadh Stadium

The Populous-designed stadium will be located in southwest Riyadh close to the Wadi Namar. The stadium will have the capacity to host 47,060 spectators. It is expected to be ready by 2032.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 32
8. King Saud University Stadium

The King Saud University Stadium, located on the university’s campus in the west of Riyadh, is one of the venues that will undergo expansion and refurbishment to host the event.

The expansion will increase the stadium’s capacity to 46,319 spectators and the construction works are expected to be completed by 2032.

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 32
9. King Abdullah Sports City Stadium

The King Abdullah Sports City Stadium is the home ground for the Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli football clubs. The venue will undergo expansion works that will increase its seating capacity to 58,432 people. The stadium will host the quarter-final games.

  • Location: Jeddah
  • Companies involved: Arup
  • Match category: Quarter-final
10. Qiddiya Coast Stadium, Jeddah

The Populous-designed stadium will be situated at the heart of the Qiddiya Coast development in Jeddah. The multi-purpose stadium will have a 46,096 seating capacity and will be one of the venues for the round of 16 matches.

  • Location: Jeddah
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 16
11. Jeddah Central Stadium, Jeddah

The already under-construction football stadium is part of the Jeddah Central Project in Jeddah and has a seating capacity of 45,794 spectators. The stadium is expected to be completed by 2027.

  • Location: Jeddah
  • Companies involved: Jeddah Central Development Company, Khatib & Alami, Gerkan Marg & Partner, China Railway Construction Corporation, Sama Construction for Trading & Contracting, Geoharbour
  • Match category: Round of 32
12. King Abdullah Economic City Stadium, Jeddah

The planned stadium will have a seating capacity of 45,700 and will be built in the King Abdullah Economic City on the Red Sea Coast, north of Jeddah.

  • Location: Jeddah
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 32
13. Aramco Stadium

The Aramco Stadium in Al-Khobar is under construction and is expected to be completed by 2026. The stadium will have a capacity of 46,096 seats.

  • Location: Al-Khobar
  • Companies involved: Saudi Aramco, Roshn, Foster + Partners, Populous, Besix, Albawani, Al-Osais International Holding
  • Match category: Round of 16
14. King Khalid University Stadium

The stadium will undergo expansion works that will see its capacity raised to 45,428 seats. The facility is expected to be ready by 2032.

  • Location: Abha
  • Companies involved: Populous
  • Match category: Round of 16
15. Neom Stadium

The 46,010-seat stadium in Neom is “designed to stand out among the world’s most iconic landmarks”, according to the bid book. It is planned to be built 350 metres above ground level within The Line project at Neom. 

The stadium is expected to be ready by 2032.

  • Location: Neom
  • Companies involved: Neom
  • Match category: Quarter-final
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12432451/main.gif
Yasir Iqbal

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Adnoc builds long-term oil and gas production potential

    7 April 2026

     

    Between 2023 and 2024, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Group) spent an estimated $37bn on projects critical to achieving its upstream targets: increasing oil production capacity to 5 million barrels a day (b/d) by 2027 and attaining gas self-sufficiency by the end of the decade.

    The state energy company spent more than $22.5bn in 2023 alone, marking the highest annual oil and gas project spending on record in the UAE. The Hail and Ghasha sour gas development – accounting for approximately $17bn – remains the single-largest contract award in the country’s hydrocarbons sector.

    A slowdown in capital expenditure (capex) following two years of elevated spending is therefore in line with expectations. While engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract awards for upstream projects declined in 2025 and into this year, Adnoc has still committed close to $10bn over the past 15 months.

    The largest award during this period came from Adnoc Offshore, which let contracts worth $7.5bn for three EPC packages under the Lower Zakum Long-Term Development Plan (LTDP-1). Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas and Abu Dhabi-based NMDC Energy and Target Engineering Construction Company were selected last February to execute the works.

    The Lower Zakum field, located 65 kilometres northwest of Abu Dhabi, is majority-owned by Adnoc Offshore (60%). Other stakeholders include an Indian consortium led by ONGC Videsh (10%), Japan’s Inpex (10%), China National Petroleum Corporation (10%), Italy’s Eni (5%) and France’s TotalEnergies (5%).

    Adnoc Offshore aims to increase production capacity at Lower Zakum to 520,000 b/d by 2027 and sustain that level through 2034.

    Offshore contracts in 2026

    So far this year, Adnoc Offshore has awarded contracts for two key projects: the Satah Al-Razboot (Sarb) deep gas development and the expansion of the Nasr oil field.

    Adnoc achieved final investment decision (FID) on the Sarb project in January and awarded the main EPC contract to US-based McDermott International. The contract is estimated to be worth around $500m, sources told MEED.

    The project is expected to deliver 200 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) of gas by the end of the decade – enough to power more than 300,000 homes.

    The scope includes the EPC of an offshore wellhead tower with four gas production wells, which will be connected to Das Island for processing through Adnoc Gas facilities. Works also include the installation of pipelines and intra-field connections linking the Sarb field to Das Island.

    Also in January, Adnoc Offshore awarded McDermott a $942m contract for the Nasr-115 project, which will increase production capacity at the Nasr offshore field to 115,000 b/d. The field is located about 130km northwest of Abu Dhabi.

    McDermott’s scope covers full EPCI services for two topside structures, a new manifold tower, a jacket, a bridge, associated pipelines, subsea cables and brownfield modifications.

    Strategic projects in queue

    Over the next 12-18 months, Adnoc’s upstream spending is expected to shift from meeting near-term production targets –now largely within reach – to building longer-term capacity beyond 2030.

    Following $1.3bn in EPC awards in 2024 for the Upper Zakum expansion to 1.2 million b/d, Adnoc Offshore is advancing the next phase, which will increase capacity to 1.5 million b/d.

    Located 84km offshore, Upper Zakum is the world’s second-largest offshore oil field. Adnoc Offshore has divided the EPC scope into three packages, with contractors submitting commercial bids for the UZ1.5MMBD project in February.

    Adnoc Offshore is also progressing the Umm Shaif gas cap and surface pressure boosting project, aimed at increasing gas production by 550 million cubic feet a day (cf/d) and condensate output by 50,000 b/d. About 520 million cf/d of additional gas is expected to be fed into Adnoc’s sales gas network.

    The first phase of the project has been split into three EPC packages:

    • Offshore package 1: fabrication of a 30,000-tonne gas compression system
    • Offshore package 2: fabrication of a 30,000-tonne gas compression system
    • Onshore package: EPC of gas inlet and processing systems at Das Island

    Adnoc Offshore is currently evaluating commercial bids submitted in February for these packages.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16285814/main.gif
    Indrajit Sen
  • Contractor wins Oman housing substation contract

    7 April 2026

    Oman’s Public Authority for Social Insurance has awarded a contract for the supply, installation, execution and maintenance of a main power substation for its affordable housing project.

    The contract was awarded to Kuwait-based Al-Ahleia Switchgear Company.

    The project comprises a 400/132/11kV main substation for the Affordable Housing Project, known locally as Al-Masaken Al-Muyassara.

    The tender was announced last November, with the bid envelopes opened on 16 December 2025.

    Al-Ahleia Switchgear submitted another bid in March for a contract to build three 132/11kV main transformer stations for Kuwait’s Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW).

    As reported by MEED, the company’s price of KD10.5m ($34.1m) was the lowest of two offers for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

    Separately, in December, Al-Ahleia Switchgear submitted the lowest bid of KD33.9m ($110.3m) for a contract to build a 400/132/11 kV substation at the South Surra township for Kuwait’s PAHW.

    The bid was marginally lower than the two other offers submitted by Saudi Arabia’s National Contracting Company (NCC) and India’s Larsen & Toubro.

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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16285335/main5555.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • UAE reviews $1.63bn fourth federal road project

    7 April 2026

    UAE authorities on 6 April unveiled details of the AED6bn ($1.63bn) fourth federal corridor scheme, a major highway programme aimed at boosting inter-emirate connectivity, increasing road capacity and easing congestion.

    The project comprises a 68-kilometre corridor with 10 major interchanges, four flyovers and six to eight lanes in each direction.

    Officials provided technical updates on the corridor, including revised connection points and coordination with local authorities to finalise route alignments in line with broader development plans.

    Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure, said the programme underscores the central role of infrastructure in the UAE’s development agenda and competitiveness. He was speaking while chairing the first meeting of the UAE Infrastructure and Housing Council this year.

    The council also reviewed progress on federal infrastructure initiatives aimed at improving transport efficiency and strengthening coordination between federal and local authorities.

    Al-Mazrouei said the next phase will focus on accelerating the delivery of high-impact projects to enhance transport system performance and support the shift towards smart and sustainable mobility in line with population growth and urban expansion.

    The council also assessed progress on linking Ajman to the third and fourth federal corridors, which is expected to provide alternative routes, improve traffic flow and further enhance mobility between the emirates.

    On public transport, the council reviewed a study on transport links between Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman to address rising commuting demand.

    The proposed plan includes 10 priority routes incorporating bus rapid transit and dedicated lanes, with connections to key hubs such as the Dubai Metro and city centres.

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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16285296/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Kingdom Holding Company signs Riyadh project deal

    7 April 2026

    Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding Company has signed an agreement with Sumou Real Estate Company under which Sumou will manage the development, marketing and sale of a 3-million-square-metre land plot in Riyadh.

    The scheme is expected to generate about SR4bn ($1bn) in total sales.

    In a Tadawul disclosure, Kingdom Holding Company said its subsidiaries, Kingdom Real Estate Development Company and Trade Centre Company, have appointed Sumou as the exclusive development manager for the site.

    The project is scheduled to be implemented over 36 months, starting once the masterplans are approved by the relevant authorities.

    In a separate stock exchange statement, Sumou said it will be paid 6.5% of total infrastructure development costs and 2.5% of project sales, in addition to the brokerage commission paid by buyers.

    Kingdom Holding Company said the agreement aligns with its long-term strategy for its Riyadh landbank, which originally totalled around 20 million sq m and is being developed in phases.

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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16284668/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial city hit by missile debris

    7 April 2026

    Explosions were reported in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial city on 7 April. Saudi authorities said the country’s air defence systems intercepted seven ballistic missiles targeting the Eastern Province, with debris landing near energy facilities, primarily in Jubail.

    Jubail is one of the world’s largest petrochemical production hubs, with an annual output of about 60 million tonnes, accounting for an estimated 6% to 8% of global supply.

    The incident places renewed focus on the kingdom’s flagship petrochemical cluster, where majority state-owned Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) is a key investor.

    Jubail also hosts major downstream oil, gas and petrochemical assets operated by Saudi Aramco, US-based Dow and France’s TotalEnergies, underscoring the industrial zone’s international significance.

    Saudi officials said damage assessments are ongoing.

    The developments follow an Israeli strike on 6 April targeting a major petrochemical complex in Iran’s southern Asaluyeh region, described as the country’s largest industrial hub.

    Separately, authorities closed the King Fahd Causeway – the main bridge linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain – early on 7 April as a precaution amid heightened security concerns.

    The King Fahd Causeway Authority said in a post on X that vehicle movement had been “suspended as a precautionary measure” due to Iranian attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

    The 25-kilometre bridge is Bahrain’s only road link to the Arabian Peninsula.

    US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran does not comply by 8pm EDT on 7 April.

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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

     

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16283711/main2424.jpg
    Indrajit Sen