Saudi Arabia has announced plans to build 11 new stadiums, including one 350 meters above ground, as part of its formal bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Although Saudi Arabia is the only country attempting to obtain hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup, having submitted its bid ahead of last October’s deadline, the Middle Eastern nation finalized its formal submission to FIFA on Wednesday by unveiling its official bid book in Paris.
The most striking proposal in the report is to create an above-ground stadium in Neom, a yet-to-be-built so-called ‘Future City.’
While Neom is not scheduled to be completed until 2039, the Saudi World Cup bid has stated that the city’s 45,000-seat stadium will be one of the “most distinctive and iconic stadiums in the world,” built into a cliff edge within The Line, a linear smart metropolis built above ground.
The stadium will only be accessed via driverless cars and high-speed lifts. “The stadium will be situated within THE LINE — more than 350 metres above ground,” according to the Saudi bid book.
The 2034 World Cup will be a 48-team tournament held in five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and Neom, with eight venues planned in the capital, including the projected 92,000-capacity King Salman Stadium, which will host the opening game and World Cup Final.
FIFA is expected to declare the 2034 World Cup host nation in late 2024. The 2026 tournament will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are the only bidders competing for the 2030 World Cup hosting rights.
