Riyadh: Plans for Saudi Arabia’s proposed NEOM Stadium, a 46,000-seat venue for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, have been put on hold indefinitely, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the project.
The stadium was to be built within The Line, the futuristic 160-kilometre development that forms part of the wider NEOM project. It was estimated to cost around USD 2.5 billion.
The move comes as The Line faces delays and a reduction in the scale of its development, according to the sources.
The Line faces changes
The Line was unveiled as one of the centrepieces of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 programme, which aims to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy and reduce its reliance on oil.
In April, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns NEOM, said The Line was no longer a priority and did not need to be completed before 2030, the original target for its first phase.
Al-Rumayyan denied that any projects had been cancelled.
However, the sources told Reuters that plans for the NEOM Stadium had since been put on hold indefinitely.
NEOM and the Saudi government’s media office did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sports referred questions about the stadium to the World Cup 2034 Hosting Higher Authority.
The authority said construction milestones for the tournament were making substantial progress but did not provide details on the NEOM Stadium or its cost. It instead released images of other stadium projects under construction.
Saudi Arabia’s World Cup preparations
FIFA confirmed Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 World Cup on December 11, 2024, making it the second Middle Eastern country to host the tournament after Qatar.
The event will also be the first 48-team World Cup to be hosted by a single country following the tournament’s expansion.
Saudi Arabia’s hosting plan includes 15 stadiums across five cities — Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and NEOM. Ten new stadiums are planned, including the 92,000-capacity King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, which is set to host the opening and final matches.
The total value of Saudi Arabia’s stadium and related World Cup projects was estimated at USD 22.7 billion.
Other stadiums and facilities are at various stages of development, with completion expected between 2026 and 2033. Construction is continuing on venues including the Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year and host its first match in January.
