DID Press: Saudi Arabia is considering scrapping plans to build five proposed stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup as part of a broader review of domestic development projects and efforts to reduce spending, according to a report by Semafor published on October 14.
According to the report, the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is preparing to inform tournament organisers that it intends to focus on three new stadiums instead. If the proposal goes ahead, Saudi Arabia would use 10 stadiums for the tournament rather than the 15 originally proposed.
The five projects reportedly under review are stadiums planned for King Abdullah Economic City, Qiddiya Coast near Jeddah, Roshn and New Murabba in Riyadh, and the NEOM development in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Several of these venues are linked to major real estate and tourism projects that have been suspended or significantly slowed.
Plans for the NEOM Stadium had already reportedly been shelved. The proposed venue was designed to be built high above the ground as part of The Line, a planned 500-metre-tall skyscraper. Work on the wider project has effectively stalled, and funding for its development has reportedly been deferred until at least after 2030.
Despite the proposed cuts, Saudi Arabia is continuing with plans for other venues, including Aramco Stadium in the Dhahran area, King Salman International Stadium and Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh.
Under the revised plan described by Semafor, Saudi Arabia could build six new stadiums and renovate four existing venues for the tournament. However, people familiar with the discussions said Saudi officials were still reviewing revised proposals for submission to FIFA, and the final number and locations of the stadiums had not been confirmed.
The Public Investment Fund and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sport had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the report’s publication.