This week, Saudi Arabia revealed designs for a high-tech stadium atop a 656-foot-high cliff near Riyadh where it plans to host the 2034 World Cup.
The stadium design has a retractable roof and field, and an LED wall with hundreds of meters (yards) of screens to create an immersive experience for fans, according to the Qiddiya Investment Company.
The stadium is a focal point of the Qiddiya City project that aims to create an entertainment, gaming, and sports hub 30 miles from downtown Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
The QIC is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by the crown prince who is widely known as Mohammed bin Salman or MBS.
It manages about $700 billion in Saudi sovereign wealth and includes investments in:
- LIV Golf
- English Premier League club Newcastle
- Professional Fighters League
The QIC said the new stadium is intended to become the home venue of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, the Riyadh clubs that signed Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, respectively, last year.
Saudi Arabia is the only bidder to host the men’s World Cup in 2034, with FIFA set to confirm its pick late this year in a confirmation vote by more than 200 national soccer federations.
FIFA bid documents state 14 stadiums are needed for the 48-team tournament.
The futuristic new city of Neom is also likely to be in the World Cup project.
The 45,000-seat venue will also be named Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium for the crown prince.
Saudi officials, who are also preparing to host the 2027 Asian Cup, have said they want to host all 104 games at the 2034 World Cup on its territory; however, several neighboring and nearby states could be called on to join the project.
Three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — will co-host the first 48-team edition in 2026.
Six countries scattered across three continents have teamed up for the 2030 tournament, which is FIFA’s only candidate. Spain and Portugal included Morocco this year in their long-standing bid, and then Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay were surprise additions in October. The South American neighbors will get just one game each.
The architect who designed the new Saudi stadium project is Populous, a global firm with main offices in Kansas City and London.
The company is a top firm in the sports world and has worked on Olympic stadiums in Australia and Russia. They’ve also designed the home of Premier League club Tottenham, which has a dual purpose for NFL games.
