In what could be the most ambitious sports stadium ever built, Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to construct a ‘sky stadium’ that rises 350 meters above the ground level. The stadium will likely come up at NEOM city. It will be built at a cost of $1 billion and has a seating capacity of 46,000, according to unconfirmed reports.
The stadium's design integrates into The Line, a linear smart city within NEOM. The venue will host Group Stage, Round of 32, Round of 16, and Quarter-final matches, utilizing both wind and solar power for its operation. Following the competition, the stadium will transition to serving as the home ground for a football club located in the NEOM region.
Though the Saudi media has no mention about the sky stadium, reports that appeared in Arab News noted that the Kingdom has ushered in a "remarkable transformation" in sports infrastructure with plans for 15 stadiums as part of its FIFA World Cup 2034 bid. "At the heart of this ambitious project is the King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, which is set to become the largest stadium in the Kingdom, with a capacity of 92,760, when it is completed in 2029," Arab News reported.
Other unique designs include a stadium constructed around canyon rock formations in Qiddiya, a planned megaproject in Riyadh for entertainment and tourism.
NEOM is a 500 billion dollar development for the purpose of establishing a high-tech, eco-friendly city, funded by international investors and the Kingdom's Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to develop the country’s sport, tourism, and entertainment sectors, is reinforced by the dual use of the stadium as an entertainment site for other sports, concerts, and cultural events.
