SAUDI Arabia has given footie fans the first look at the 15 futuristic stadiums set to host the 2034 World Cup.
Incredible pictures reveal the ambitious modern arenas that boast jaw-dropping features – including an entire NEW CITY set to be built around one stadium.
Saudi authorities have unveiled ambitious plans to construct 11 new stadiums and give four existing ones a major revamp.
As part of the official bid submission to FIFA, these stadiums will be based in and around four cities – Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Abha.
Saudi Arabia is currently the only bidder for the 2034 World Cup.
They are likely to be given the tournament unopposed after Fifa made moves to ensure the World Cup was handed to the Gulf State according to The Times.
But human rights groups have expressed concerns over the construction of the stadiums, with fears that migrant labour will be exploited as it was at the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar.
One unique arena will be constructed in Neom – a yet-unbuilt linear city that plans to introduce flying taxis and high-speed elevators.
Dubbed the “most unique stadium in the world”, it will be built 350m above the ground atop The Line – a 106-mile-long sideways skyscraper that will become home to 1.5 million residents, plans claim.
The Saudi 2034 bid book states: “Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world. With a pitch situated more than 350m above ground, stunning vistas and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be an experience like no other.
“Within The Line, mass transport and personal transport will be enabled by a network of tram-like Autonomous Rapid Transit vehicles and Personal Rapid Transit, operating on five primary horizontal transport corridors.
Meanwhile, one of the stadiums, called New Murabba, will have a baffling design surrounded by artificial canyons and giant rock structures.
Deezen reports its design “replicates the layered overlapping planes and peeling planar texture of the bark of the native acacia tree”.
The 45,000-seat stadium will form part of the Murabba downtown development in Riyadh – and will also feature a 1,300ft-long cube-shaped skyscraper.
Another incredible stadium being developed is the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium which will feature traditional architectural styles and motifs from the country’s heritage.
It is understood the stadium will be constructed entirely using locally sourced materials – and will feature some of the biggest solar panels for efficient power supply.
Meanwhile, the Qiddiya Coast Stadium is set to be the most colourful stadium out of the lot.
Inspired by the Mexicans, the arena is set to have a vibrant design that will be a “physical representation of the relationship between people and water, energy and matter, with its design also evoking the ripple effect of a wave”, says the bid.
With an area spanning an impressive Currently being developed in Riyadh with a
However, the most striking of all will be the ambitious King Salman Stadium with a capacity of 92,000 people – and is set to be the biggest venue of all.
Spanning across an impressive area of 660,000 square, it will serve as the home ground for the Saudi national team – and will hoist the opening and final match of the tournament.
The King Salman will have not just VIP areas, but also VVIP areas, presumably used to host heads of state.
The state-of-the-art arena will have a royal box with 150 seats, 120 hospitality suites, 300 VIP seats, and 2,200 seats for various high-profile guests.
The site will include shopping centres and recreational areas accessible to all, making it an attractive tourist spot amid the World Cup season.
Multiple giant screens will also be placed around the main pitch inside the stadium to enhance the viewing experience for footie fans.
The final design, inspired by the mountainous terrain concept, integrates seamlessly with King Abdulaziz Park through a valley that intersects the surrounding green spaces.
It is designed to blend into its surrounding topography and natural habitat while providing shade and ventilation tailored to the desert climate, according to the bid book.
Riyadh
Jeddah
Al Khobar
Abha
Neom
Beneath the glitzy facades of the developments by ego-mad Saudis lie the stories of threats, forced evictions and bloodshed.
Many projects have faced fierce criticism over human rights abuses – including the £400billion Neom project where tribes were shoved out of their homeland, imprisoned or executed.
At least 20,000 members of the Huwaitat tribe face eviction, with no information about where they will live in the future.
Authorities in the port city of Jeddah also demolished many houses to implement Saudi’s development plans – with thousands of locals evicted illegally.
One campaigner claimed: “Neom is built on Saudi blood.”
Jeed Basyouni, Middle East director of the human rights organisation Reprieve, told DW: “We have seen, time and again, that anyone who disagrees with the crown prince, or gets in his way, risks being sentenced to jail or to death.”
In 2022, Saudi Arabia sentenced three tribesmen to death for refusing to leave the desert site of the futuristic supercity Neom.
The trio from the Howeitat tribe had protested against their forcible eviction from the northern Tabuk province to make way for the ultra-modern metropolis.
SAUDI Arabia is set to spend £138billion every year on mega projects between 2025 and 2028.
Here are some of the most ambitious projects the Middle Eastern country plans to launch by 2030:
NEOM– It is set to be a Jetsons-style ultra-modern metropolis in contrast to the other very conservative parts of the desert kingdom.
Backed by Saudi’s £400billion Private Investment Fund – the group which bought Newcastle United – the plans for Neom are so ambitious that some of the technology doesn’t even exist yet.
Planning docs show the city will have flying taxis – a vehicle depicted in science fiction films such as Blade Runner and Back to the Future II.
The most striking thing about Neom is a mirrored megastructure called The Line – a 110-mile, 500m tall and 200m wide mirrored building that will connect Neom to the rest of the kingdom.
Red Sea Project – The Red Sea Project is a tourism development on an archipelago of Saudi Arabian islands with its dedicated airport.
It’s set to be built on 90 undeveloped islands between Umluj and Al Wajh on Saudi Arabia’s west coast.
Super Cave Hotel – Also part of Neom, Leyja will be a jaw-dropping hotel complex carved into the walls of a giant canyon.
Directors of the project claim it will open its doors to tourists in 2024 – despite not being built yet.
It will have three state-of-the-art hotels, designed by world-leading architects to blend in with the natural surroundings that make up 95 per cent of the futuristic city.
The hotels will have 120 luxurious rooms and will operate completely sustainably to provide “distinct experiences”.
Future City Epicon – Epicon is the latest megalomaniac development to be announced by Neom on November 15.
This futuristic coastal city will feature residential beach villas, hotels, and a luxurious resort.
Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Epicon will be comprised of two ultra-modern towers, measuring 738ft and 908ft.
The sky-high destination will be home to 41 hotels and luxury homes, offering 14 suites and hotel apartments.
Close to the pair of luxury towers, Epicon’s very own resort will be located, featuring 120 rooms and 45 stunning residential beach villas.
Epicon will also offer a beach club, spas, an array of recreational activities and water sports, culinary options for every palate, and the natural beauty of the shorelines in Neom.
