Meed | Top 15 Saudi stadium projects

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

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Yasir Iqbal

Exclusive from Meed

Oman kicks off airport procurement
16 June 2025
Oman launches new mountain development
16 June 2025
Iraqi airspace shutdown to impact oil projects
16 June 2025
Scatec updates on two Egyptian renewables projects
16 June 2025
Kuwait issues Shagaya solar RFP
16 June 2025

Oman kicks off airport procurement
16 June 2025

Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched the long-awaited procurement process for the construction of the new Musandam airport.

Contractors have until 14 July to prequalify for the design and implementation of enabling works on the estimated $500m project.

Almost 40 companies have purchased the prequalification application documents to date, including more than a dozen international contractors. These include PowerChina, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), Hassan Allam and Arab Contractors of Egypt, India’s Larsen & Toubro, Mohammed Abulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons from Kuwait, Malaysia’s WCT Berhad Engineering & Construction and Qatar’s Generic Engineering Technologies & Contracting.

In March last year, the CAA appointed Swiss engineering firm Renardet SA & Partners to prepare designs for the proposed development of the airport in the northern peninsula of the sultanate, which is separated from the rest of Oman by the UAE.

The airport is planned to be developed in two phases. The first phase involves the construction of a 2.5-kilometre-long and 45-metre-wide runway, a terminal building capable of handling 250,000 passengers annually, an air traffic control tower and other associated facilities.

A new 7km-long road will also be constructed as part of the first phase.

The second phase includes the expansion of the runway to 3.3km and the expansion of the terminal building and associated facilities.

The main construction work is expected to take three years.

The implementation period for the second phase is 18 months. The airport is expected to be completed in 2028.

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Edward James
Oman launches new mountain development
16 June 2025

Oman’s Ministry of Housing & Urban Planning has issued a tender for the comprehensive detailed masterplan and detailed engineering design for a major new residential and tourism development called Al-Jebal Al-Aali in the Al-Dakhiliyah region.

Interested consultants have until 10 July to submit their proposals for the contract, which encompasses planning, architecture, engineering and infrastructure design, tender preparation, tender launch, and award for both infrastructure and building elements.

At least 10 local and international engineering firms have purchased tender documents to date, including Canada’s AtkinsRealis, France’s Artelia, Dar Al-Handash and Khatib & Alami, both of Lebanon, and local firms Almanarah Engineering Consultancy and Nicholson Jones Partnership Engineering Consultancy.

The multibillion-dollar Al-Jebal Al-Aali development lies on the Hajar Mountains range close to Jebal Akhdar. According to local media reports, it will cover an area of 11.8 square kilometres (km) along a 5.4km-long mountain ridge, and house more than 10,000 residents.

In May, an investment agreement was signed with the ministry for the first phase of a health-focused district at the development with an investment value of up to RO200m ($520m). The Western District project will cover 630,000 square metres and comprise 500 residential and hotel units.

Other agreements are expected to be signed in due course, particularly once the masterplan and basic infrastructure works handled by the ministry are completed.

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Edward James

Scatec updates on two Egyptian renewables projects

16 June 2025

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Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec has announced updates on two utility-scale renewable independent power projects (IPPs) in Egypt.

For the first project, it has announced the signing of a 25-year power-purchase agreement (PPA) with Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) for a new 900MW onshore wind IPP at Ras Shukeir on the Red Sea coast.

The PPA is denominated in US dollars, allowing it to be derisked from any fluctuations in the value of the Egyptian Pound. It is also sovereign-backed, further reducing development risk.

Scatec will set up a special-purpose vehicle project company called Shadwan Wind Power to develop the IPP. It says it will now proceed to conducting year-long wind measurements at the site before proceeding to financial close and construction.

Separately, the developer has announced financial close on its Obelisk solar power hybrid solar and battery project at Nagaa Hammadi in Upper Egypt, about 80 kilometres northwest of Luxor.

Under the terms of the non-recourse financing, the IPP will receive $479m extended by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and British International Investment (BII).

The financing amount corresponds to approximately 80% of the total estimated capex of $590m, with the difference funded from Scatec’s own equity injections at the end of the construction period after it recently signed equity bridge loans (EBLs) of $120m for the project.

The Oslo-headquartered firm signed the 25-year PPA with EETC in September last year.

The project will be constructed in two phases.

The first phase comprises a 561MW solar and 100MW/200MWh battery storage project, which is targeted to reach commercial operation in the first half of 2026.

The second phase comprises a 564MW solar project, which is expected to reach commercial operation in the second half of the same year.

Scatec itself will deliver engineering, procurement and construction, asset management, and operations and maintenance services for the project.

READ THE JUNE 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

Gulf accelerates AI and data centre strategy; Baghdad keeps up project spending, but fiscal clouds gather; Banking stocks rise despite lower global oil prices

Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

> AGENDA 1: Data centres churn investments

> AGENDA 2: Gulf seizes AI opportunities

> SYRIA: US announces lifting of Syria sanctions

> MEED TOP 100: Middle East stocks defy lower oil prices

> TOURISM: Abu Dhabi hopes bigger is better with Disney theme park

> TRADE: Emerging Gulf-Asia corridor grows despite headwinds

> SAUDI ARABIA: Riyadh confirms capital expenditure cuts

> INTERVIEW: Mena crucial to Veolia’s growth plan

> IRAQ REPORT: Iraq maintains its pace, for now

> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index leaps 4.3%

> CONTRACT AWARDS: Region sees third month of weak awards activity

> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

> OPINION: Dealmaking trumps the Truman Doctrine

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

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Edward James

Iraqi airspace shutdown to impact oil projects
16 June 2025

The closure of Iraq’s airspace and heightened concerns about security are likely to impact project progress in the country’s oil and gas sector, according to industry sources.

Iraq closed its airspace and suspended all air traffic on 13 June following Israeli strikes on Iran on 12 June.

Oil companies remain concerned about the potential for violence to spill over into Iraq and are closely watching developments, sources said.

One source said: “All of the oil companies active in Iraq are likely to be watching developments very closely.

“They are also likely to be drawing up plans for potential evacuations over land borders into neighbouring companies that could be used if the security situation deteriorates.

“The latest developments are already impacting oil companies as they cannot transport workers and they are having to divert increased resources into security precautions.

“Just how much projects will be impacted will depend on how long this period of heightened tensions goes on for and whether or not the security situation worsens.”

If the conflict does escalate between Israel and Iran, Iraq’s southern oil and gas assets are likely to be most vulnerable as they would potentially be in the line of fire between the two countries, sources said.

On 15 June 2025, Iraqi security forces deployed air defence systems near the Bazarkan oil field in Iraq’s Maysan province.

On 12 June, the Italian oil company Eni, which is developing the Zubair oil and gas field in Basra, said it was closely monitoring the security situation in Iraq.

The comments from the oil company came after the US decided to partially evacuate its embassy in the country.

[Oil companies active in Iraq] are likely to be drawing up plans for potential evacuations over land borders into neighbouring companies that could be used if the security situation deteriorates
Industry source

This latest period of increased concerns about security in Iraq follows a surge in investment in the country’s oil and gas sector.

In May, MEED revealed that the total value of all oil, gas and chemicals projects in Iraq had hit its highest level in a decade as international oil companies showed renewed enthusiasm for the country’s assets.

On 6 May, the total value of projects within these sectors that had been announced as planned or already under execution hit $152.2bn, according to information gathered by regional projects tracker MEED Projects.

The total value of oil, gas and chemicals projects in the country had risen by 15.6% since the same time last year, when it stood at $131.7bn. The value of projects under execution had also hit an all-time high of $93.3bn.

MEED’s June 2025 report on Iraq includes:

> COMMENT: Iraq maintains its pace, for now
> GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY: Iraq’s economy faces brewing storm
> OIL & GAS: Iraqi energy project value hits decade-high level
> PIPELINES: Revival of Syrian oil export route could benefit Iraq
> POWER: Iraq power sector turns a page
> CONSTRUCTION: Iraq pours billions into housing and infrastructure projects
> DATABANK: Iraq forecast dips on lower oil prices

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Wil Crisp

Kuwait issues Shagaya solar RFP

16 June 2025

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy (MEWRE), through the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (Kapp), has issued the request for proposals (RFPs) for a contract to develop the state’s first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.

Prequalified developers have until 14 September to submit technical and commercial bids for the Al-Dibdibah power and Al-Shagaya renewable energy phase three, zone one independent power project (IPP), which will have a total power generating capacity of 1,100MW.

Kapp issued the request for qualifications for the contract in January 2024, with six prequalified companies and consortiums announced in August.

They are:

Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia) / Alternative Energy Projects Company (local)
Trung Nam Construction (Vietnam)
EDF Renewables (France) / Abdullah Al-Hamad Al-Sagar & Brothers Company (local) / Korean Western Power Company (Kowepo, South Korea)
Jinko Power (Hong Kong) / Jera (Japan)
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar, UAE) / Fouad Alghanim & Sons General Trading Contracting Company (local)
TotalEnergies Renewables (France)

The selected developer will sign a 30-year power purchase agreement with the MEWRE to export its electricity output. The contract also calls for the construction of an associated 400kV transmission substation.

London-headquartered consultancy firm EY is the lead and financial transaction adviser. London-headquartered DLA Piper is the legal adviser, while Norwegian engineering services firm DNV is the client’s technical and environmental adviser.

2030-50 strategy

Kuwait aims to have a renewable energy installed capacity of 22,100MW by 2030 as part of the 20-year strategy announced in March and ending in 2050.

In May this year, Kapp invited companies to prequalify for its Al-Dibdibah power and Al-Shagaya renewable energy phase three, zone two IPP, which will have a capacity of 500MW. Applications are due by 24 July.

Minister of Electricity, Water & Renewable Energy, Salem Falah Al-Hajraf, confirmed that the strategy also involves installing distributed or rooftop solar farms, with the state procuring the energy output from solar PV farms.

Kuwait aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.