Saudi unveils ‘futuristic’ 45,000-seat stadium

Saudi Arabia has unveiled details of a new 45,000-capacity stadium located in Qiddiya, an entertainment and tourism megaproject in Riyadh under its Vision 2030 masterplan.

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, named after Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, will be capable of hosting some of the country’s biggest sports, entertainment and cultural events.

The “futuristic” development would be located in Qiddiya City on the 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliff near the Saudi capital.

Qiddiya said that Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium will attract an estimated 7.6 million annual visitors.

The stadium will serve as the home of Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr and is one of the proposed venues for Saudi Arabia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup bid. Qiddiya said the stadium could also be used during Riyadh’s staging of the 2034 Asian Games.

Saudi Arabia will also host football’s Asian Cup in 2027 and the Qiddiya stadium has been included as one of the proposed venues for the tournament.

Designed by global architectural firm Populous, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium will supposedly be the world’s first fully integrated venue with a combined retractable roof, pitch and LED wall.

“It will become a bucket-list destination for fans and enthusiasts across the world”

It would be capable of transforming into different ‘event modes’ in a matter of hours, while its LED wall would showcase live event broadcasts, HD films and laser shows.

Qiddiya said the stadium will be capable of hosting events all year round without consuming large amounts of energy.

This will be achieved by creating an environmentally friendly lake directly beneath the stadium, where rainwater is collected and pumped into an ice wall, cooling the indoor air.

Abdullah bin Nasser Aldawood, managing director of Qiddiya Investment Company, said: “Our ambition is for Qiddiya City to become a global destination for entertainment, sports and culture and this iconic new stadium will be at its very heart.

“The futuristic venue aims to reinvent the traditional stadium concept and embody the true spirit of Qiddiya’s Power of Play philosophy. It uses state-of-the-art technology and innovative, world-leading design to put the spectator at the centre of the experience.

“It will become a bucket-list destination for fans and enthusiasts across the world, hosting major events from across the world of sport and entertainment.”

Today’s announcement about The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium comes a month after Qiddiya unveiled plans for ‘a pioneering new gaming and esports district’ in Qiddiya City.

Qiddiya City, a “one-of-a-kind” destination located on the outskirts of Riyadh, will be Qiddiya’s first offering. With 60,000 buildings in an overall area of 360 square kilometres, it will eventually host over 600,000 residents.

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