Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 World Cup in 5 Cities

Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, with the official plan calling for 15 stadiums spread across five host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and NEOM. The scale of the tournament positions the Kingdom for one of the largest sporting events in its history.

Under the current plan, Riyadh will serve as the main hub and is expected to stage both the opening match and the final. Jeddah is set as the major western hub on the Red Sea coast with multiple venues, while Al Khobar anchors the Eastern Province as part of the Dammam metropolitan area. Abha, a southern mountain city, is positioned for cooler-climate matches, and NEOM in the northwest is intended as a showcase venue.

The stadium plan includes 11 new stadiums and 4 existing venues to be renovated. Most tournament venues are designed or upgraded to around 45,000 seats or more, with a flagship stadium in Riyadh exceeding 90,000 seats.

Riyadh venues

Named venues in the capital include the new King Salman International Stadium, planned as the flagship with a capacity above 92,000, and King Fahd International Stadium, the existing national stadium set for renovation to around 70,000 seats. Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium and King Saud University Stadium are also planned for renovation, while New Murabba Stadium, ROSHN Stadium, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, and South Riyadh Stadium are among the new World Cup venues.

For residents and expats across the Kingdom, the tournament promises major investment in infrastructure, transport, and hospitality over the coming years, with construction and upgrades expected to reshape parts of each host city ahead of 2034.

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