Saudi Arabia plans 11 new stadiums for 2034 FIFA World Cup bid

Middle East oil-rich nation, Saudi Arabia, has unveiled ambitious plans to build 11 stadiums, including one set 350 meters above ground level, as part of its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The futuristic stadium in Neom will be accessible only via high-speed lifts and driverless vehicles.

The Neom stadium, part of the kingdom’s ‘The Line’ project aimed at diversifying the economy away from oil, is proposed to host a quarter-final fixture. Saudi Arabia’s bid, which is currently uncontested, had until October’s deadline to submit its plans.

Of the 11 new stadiums, eight will be located in the capital, Riyadh, including the 92,760-seat King Salman International Stadium, which is slated to host both the opening game and the final. Matches will also be hosted in Jeddah, Al Khobar and Abha.

The 2034 World Cup will mark the first time the expanded 48-team tournament is held in a single country. FIFA Congress is set to confirm the host on December 11.

Neom’s project, The Line, is envisioned as a car-free city, 200 meters wide and 170 kilometres long, though only 2.4 kilometres of it is expected to be completed by 2030. The Line will be taller than the Empire State Building and stretch the equivalent distance from Bristol to London.

According to the bid document, the new Neom stadium will be “run entirely on renewable energy,” sourced mainly from wind and solar. Additionally, a new international airport in Neom will accommodate 12 million domestic and international visitors annually by 2034. Other host city airports will also be expanded, with Riyadh’s airport expected to handle 100 million passengers yearly by 2034, a 170% increase from 2023. Abha Airport will be upgraded to increase capacity from 1.5 million to 8 million passengers in time for the tournament.

To accommodate the expanded 48-team tournament, Saudi Arabia plans to invest heavily in infrastructure, including new airports, expanded train lines, and improved bus services. The plans also include extending train lines and bus routes to ensure “quick and efficient” navigation around the country.

While the bid document does not specify the overall cost, the scale of the proposed infrastructure suggests it will require hundreds of billions of dollars, potentially rivalling the $220 billion spent by Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.

Given Saudi Arabia’s climate, the bid faces significant challenges, including the extreme summer temperatures and the immense financial cost of building new cities and stadiums. The mildest months are between October and April, with average daily temperatures in host cities ranging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius. Between May and September, temperatures can soar between 17 and 38 degrees Celsius.

While the bid is currently uncontested, the final decision will be made by FIFA in December 2024.