Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 FIFA World Cup: Key Facts

Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the sole host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a decision made at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in December 2024. The tournament will be the first 48-team World Cup ever staged in a single country.

Matches will be spread across five host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and NEOM. The plan features 15 stadiums in total — 11 newly built venues and 4 existing stadiums set for renovation.

Where the games will be played

Riyadh leads with eight stadiums, including the new King Salman International Stadium, which will seat more than 92,000 fans and host both the opening match and the final, later becoming the home of the national team. Other Riyadh venues include the developed King Fahd International Stadium, Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, New Murabba Stadium, Roshn Stadium, an expanded King Saud University Stadium, and South Riyadh Stadium.

Jeddah will feature four stadiums combining existing and new venues. Al Khobar will host matches at Aramco Stadium, while Abha's King Khalid University Stadium is planned for around 45,000 seats. NEOM will add one new stadium to complete the list.

What it means for residents

The bid outlines major infrastructure: roughly 230,000 hotel rooms across the five cities, 134 training facilities, 72 training-camp fields, and 16 international airports to handle visitor traffic, alongside expanded train and bus networks. Ten proposed FIFA Fan Festival sites are also planned, with one fan site to be chosen

For residents and expats across Saudi Arabia, the coming years will bring new stadiums, transport links and tourism facilities as the Kingdom prepares to welcome fans from around the world.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving