Jeddah Central Project Stadium – design description

Why is a new stadium planned in Jeddah?

After several years of planning, the implementation in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia's second metropolitan area after Riyadh) of the so-called Jeddah Central Project, an urban concept involving the revitalisation of a 5.7 million m² area covering 9.5 km of coastline, was announced at the end of 2021. The project is expected to cost 75 billion Saudi rials ($20 billion) and is being developed by Jeddah Central Development Company, subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund.

Among other things, the plan is to create a marina for luxury yachts, a waterfront hotel base or exclusive flats. An opera house, an oceanarium, a museum as well as a football stadium are also part of the project.

In the summer of 2024, the stadium planned as part of the Jeddah Central Project was presented as one of 15 venues to host the 2034 World Cup.

What will the Jeddah Central Project Stadium be like?

The new stadium is to have a football-specific profile and comply with FIFA standards, with a capacity of more than 45,000 spectators. Its architecture is to follow the local style, combining tradition with modern technology. The venue will be air-conditioned and its roof will be equipped with movable elements, giving the possibility to control sunlight and temperature. The surrounding area will include entertainment facilities, such as an e-sports centre.

When will the Jeddah Central Project Stadium be built?

In 2022, some of the buildings on the site of the planned project were demolished, including the Air Defence Stadium (the new stadium will replace it in a sense). On July 18, 2022, a contract was signed with gmp Architekten and Khatib & Alami to design the stadium.

At the beginning of February 2024, the construction contract for the stadium was awarded to a consortium of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and SAMA Construction for Contracting. The venue is expected to be completed in 2026.