Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans for a stadium 350 metres above the ground on top of The Line mega city, which is being built as part of Neom.
Revealed as part of Saudi Arabia’s official bid submission to FIFA for the 2034 World Cup, the 46,000-seat stadium will host games at the tournament including a quarter final.
“Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world,” the official bid submission states.
“With a pitch situated more than 350 meters above ground, stunning vistas, and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be an experience like no other.”
Few details are available about the design of the Neom Stadium and its architect has not been made public.
It is planned to be integrated into the first section of The Line, which is currently under construction.
This section, known as the Hidden Marina, will include a man-made marina and with a large arch for boats to pass through.
Along with the stadium, several supporting facilities will be built within The Line, including a “fan festival site”, training pitches and five hotels.
Construction of the stadium is planned to begin in 2027, with completion expected in 2032. Following the World Cup, the stadium will become the home of a newly formed Saudi professional football team.
The Neom Stadium is one of 15 that will host games at the World Cup in 2034. Other stadiums set to host games at the tournament include a 92,000-seat stadium in Riyadh and a stadium that will overlook a cliff in Qiddiya – both designed by Populous.
Neom is one of 14 giga projects being developed in Saudi Arabia as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan to shift the country’s economy from a reliance on oil. The project has been criticised on human rights grounds with human rights organisation ALQST reporting that three men were sentenced to death after being “forcibly evicted” from the Neom site.
UN Human Rights Council later expressed “alarm” over the imminent executions. Saudi Arabia responded to the UN by denying abuses had taken place.
Recently we asked if it was time for architecture studios to walk away from the project due to rising human rights concerns.
