Saudi Arabia added the sporting equivalent of the jewel in the crown when they managed to secure the hosting rights of the 2034 edition of World Cup. With the country’s questionable human rights issue and critics terming Saudi’s mammoth spendings on sporting events as ‘sportswashing’ to enhance its stature and reputation, they have laid elaborate plans to make it a spectacle.
According to the FIFA report on Saudi’s World Cup bid, it has proposed 15 stadiums for the tournament with 8 of them described as planned new-builds, three are under construction and four already exist, though some of them would be refurbished.
King Salman International Stadium (Riyadh): The planned stadium will host the opener and the final, as Saudi has proposed in the bid document. It is set to come up in the north-east of Riyadh due to its proximity to the airport. It is set to be completed by 2030 and would be Saudi’s home ground.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium (Riyadh): Situated in the southwest of Riyadh, it is expected to host matches including the third-place playoff. It will have a unique ‘three-sided design and will be integrated into a cliff-side location,’ as per the FIFA document. Construction is set to start in 2026 and is expected to be complete in 2029. It will also host two Saudi Pro League sides, but only after the 2034 World Cup, besides being a multipurpose entertainment venue.
NEOM Stadium (NEOM): It is one of the most talked about stadiums. which is planned to be constructed 350 meters above the ground in Neom, a futuristic city that is being constructed. It’s the first phase of THE LINE, a development plan that will run with renewable energy and sustainable transport. The stadium will utilise giant express lifts for vertical transport, as well as horizontally integrated metros, and diagonal pedestrian thoroughfares to ‘create a three-dimensional approach to mobility,’ the FIFA document stated.
Qiddiya Coast Stadium (Jeddah): This stadium, located north of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast will have a unique design which will resemble the Mexican Wave. After the World Cup, the capacity will be reduced and the retractable pitch will be used to facilitate a multi-purpose entertainment venue at the heart of the Qiddiya Coast development, according to the FIFA document.
Its retractable pitch will also facilitate the hosting of e-sports and concerts after the World Cup. The upper-tier seating would also be removed after the event to create a 25,000-capacity venue, down from the 46,096-capacity during the World Cup.
King Abdullah Economic City Stadium (Jeddah): This planned state of the art stadium is expected to be the host of the matches up to Round of 32 and is located in the north of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. The construction will start in 2027 and is expected to be completed by 2032.
After the World Cup, it will serve as a multipurpose entertainment venue at the heart of the King Abdullah Economic City development and the stadium precinct will be open to the community to facilitate connections with nature, the FIFA document said.
New Murabba Stadium (Riyadh): Another proposed stadium which will host matches until the Round of 32 fixtures, it will feature a roof structure whose design is based on the native acacia tree bark and will come up in the north-west part of Riyadh. The construction will start next year and is set to be completed by 2029.
ROSHN Stadium (Riyadh): It will be built in the south-west of Riyadh with the planned structure featuring a crystalline design which will integrate with spaces in the surrounding neighbourhood. The work is expected to start in 2028 and end in 2032.
South Riyadh Stadium (Riyadh): This new stadium will be built in the south-west of Riyadh and will connect with the Wadi Namar park and form part of the Green Riyadh project. Construction for the stadium will start in 2029 and will be completed by 2032.
Under-construction stadiums: Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium, Jeddah Central Development Stadium, Aramco Stadium
Potential dates
Even though Saudi Arabia did not confirm it, it could be held in winter, like the Qatar edition in 2022. In the doc, the middle eastern country has stated that the temperature is at its mildest between October and April. During these seven months, the average daily temperature hovers between 15 to 30 degrees. Between May and September, however, average daily temperatures are between 17 and 38 degrees.
Saudi will also be hosting the 2034 Asian Games from November 29 to December 14 in Riyadh so in order to hold a FIFA World Cup in the country around this time might be unfeasible. Organisers would take into account Ramadan too, the month of prayer and fasting that falls between mid-November and mid-December.
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