Saudi Arabia has submitted plans to build eleven new stadiums as part of the country’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Amongst the proposed stadiums is one set 350 metres above ground level, which is to be built in Neom, currently an unbuilt city in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, and will only be accessible via high-speed lifts and driverless vehicles, while running solely on renewable energy “mainly from wind and solar sources.”
The proposed arena, which is part of the Saudi’s much-talked about “The Line” project is aimed at diversifying the country’s economy away from oil, is set to host a quarter-final match.
The Line, proposed to be taller than the infamous Empire State building in New York, is tipped to be car-free city about 656-feet wide and 170km long, with only 2.4km of the gigantic project expected to be completed by 2030.
Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid is uncontested, and the country had until October’s deadline to submit its plans.
As stated in their bid document, eight of the 11 new stadiums will be in the capital Riyadh, including the 92,760-capacity King Salman International Stadium, which will host the opening game and the final. Additionally, the cities of Jeddah, Al Khobar, and Abha will also host matches.
The 2034 World Cup will be the first time the expanded tournament is held in just one country as a 48-team event, and the hosts are set to be confirmed by the FIFA congress on 11 December.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, while the 2030 edition will be hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
