Plans for NEOM’s 46,000-seat stadium reportedly put on hold.
Dubai: Saudi Arabia has reportedly put plans for the $2.5 billion (Dh9.18 billion) NEOM Stadium on hold, raising uncertainty over a venue that had been expected to host matches during the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The proposed 46,000-seat stadium was set to be one of the tournament’s most ambitious venues. Plans envisioned the arena more than 350 metres above ground within The Line, NEOM’s futuristic 160-kilometre urban development.
However, the stadium project has now been shelved indefinitely, Reuters reported, amid delays and a scaling back of plans for The Line. Dubai-based construction market intelligence platform MEED Projects currently lists the stadium as “on hold”, with no completion date provided.
NEOM was launched as a flagship project under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 economic transformation programme.
In April, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns NEOM, said The Line was no longer considered a priority and was not essential for completion before 2030. He maintained, however, that projects had not been cancelled.
The 2034 World Cup Hosting Higher Authority said significant progress was already being made on construction projects linked to the tournament, although it did not specifically comment on the status of the NEOM Stadium.
Among the venues moving ahead, King Fahd Stadium is currently undergoing renovation, while Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar is approaching completion as Saudi Arabia prepares its infrastructure for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The Kingdom plans to develop or renovate 15 stadiums across five host cities for the tournament, which will be the first 48-team FIFA World Cup staged by a single country.
According to estimates from MEED, the combined value of stadium developments and related projects stands at around $22.7 billion (Dh83.37 billion).
Despite progress on other venues, uncertainty continues to surround the future of the proposed NEOM Stadium and its role in the 2034 tournament.
