Saudi Arabia is investing $26 billion in the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and the final venue is set to become one of the world's largest stadiums.

According to British media reports, Saudi Arabia is moving full steam ahead with preparations for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Similar to Qatar in 2022, a large-scale national infrastructure plan will see the necessary facilities built from scratch. The tournament will be held across 15 stadiums, 8 of which are new builds, 3 are already under construction, and 4 existing venues will be renovated.

The King Salman International Stadium will be one of the major highlights. With approximately 92,000 seats, it will become one of the largest football stadiums in the world, though still smaller than the stadium Morocco plans to use for the 2030 final. The project is located north of Riyadh and is expected to be completed in 2029. The stadium will feature a royal box accommodating 150 people, 120 VIP boxes, 300 VIP seats, and 2,000 premium seats, catering to FIFA's need to host a large number of dignitaries—and potentially influencers who come to broadcast live. A sustainable cooling system will cover the seats and ground, complemented by screens and indoor gardens to help maintain comfortable temperatures. The FIFA World Cup is likely to be held in winter—possibly even delayed until 2035—when temperatures will be comfortable enough for fans to enjoy a rooftop walkway overlooking King Abdulaziz Park.

Saudi Arabia hopes the legacy of this FIFA World Cup will benefit future generations. Around King Salman International Stadium, there will be training grounds, fan zones, Olympic-sized swimming pools and tracks, as well as tennis and basketball facilities. A sports trail more than 5 miles long will connect the stadium with nearby parks.

All of this comes at a high cost. In addition to stadiums, Saudi Arabia needs to build 65,000 new hotel rooms to meet FIFA requirements. SNB Capital estimates the total cost of hosting this FIFA World Cup at $26 billion. Saudi Arabia hopes the tournament will be the culmination of its "Vision 2030" project, launched in 2019—a project initiated by the Saudi Public Investment Fund that aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a sports and entertainment hub. By 2030, this sector is expected to generate $16.5 billion in revenue, account for 1.5% of national GDP, and create 100,000 jobs. The proportion of Saudi citizens participating in sports has increased significantly from 13% in 2015 to 50%, while female participation has grown by 400% since 2015.

Esports and digital gaming are another pillar of the project, with $38 billion allocated. Saudi Arabia has previously hosted the Esports World Cup.

Could the 2034 FIFA World Cup be rescheduled? According to US media outlet Politico, there is an "unprecedented scheduling dilemma." The 2022 FIFA World Cup was held from November 20 to December 18, a period that would clash with Ramadan in 2034. Politico notes that the period between Christmas 2034 and mid-February 2035 (the Hajj season) might be the most reasonable window, but it could be too short for a tournament that FIFA hopes to expand to 48 or even 64 teams.

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