Saudi Arabia has unveiled ambitious plans for its 2034 World Cup bid, featuring a proposed stadium within its innovative horizontal city, The Line. The bid, which centers on five cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, and Neom’s The Line—envisions a stadium suspended 350 meters high within the city’s upper levels.
While the bid includes 11 new stadiums to be completed by 2032 and four existing stadiums slated for refurbishment, no cost details or specific timelines have been disclosed. The document also leaves open the possibility of hosting the tournament in winter, following Qatar’s precedent in 2022, despite earlier commitments to climate-controlled stadiums.
Saudi Arabia’s proposal comes amid its broader Vision 2030 development program, with ongoing tourism and infrastructure projects. The bid has garnered attention for its scale and ambition, though there are concerns about whether The Line’s futuristic stadium will be completed on time, given recent adjustments to its initial plans.
The bid, presented in Paris this week, follows other countries withdrawing from the race before the October 31 deadline. Observers, including sports professor Simon Chadwick, anticipate that Fifa may approve a winter World Cup, echoing Qatar’s precedent.
Real estate expert Faisal Durrani highlighted the potential impact of hosting the tournament on Saudi Arabia’s global image, noting it would significantly enhance the country’s international standing after extensive investments in construction and infrastructure.
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