King Fahd Sports City – design description

What is the King Fahd Sports City redevelopment project in a nutshell?

The project to modernize King Fahd Sports City, so far the largest and most important stadium in the country, primarily involves removing the athletics track and bringing the stands closer to the pitch, giving the facility a football-specific character.

The reconstruction of the stands will be very significant – only the upper floor of the eastern stand will be retained from the existing structure.

The roof membrane will also be removed, but it will later be reinstated in the same distinctive form and complemented by a panoramic video screen suspended from its inner edge.

The plans to rebuild the stadium were conceived when Saudi Arabia bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup, but they took on additional significance in October 2023 when the country secured the right to host the 2034 World Cup.

Construction works began at the end of 2024 and are expected to be completed in 2026, ahead of the AFC Asian Cup scheduled for early 2027.

How did the King Fahd Sports City redevelopment project come about?

How did King Fahd Sports City look until now?

King Fahd Sports City was opened in 1987 and held the status of the largest stadium in Saudi Arabia. The venue witnessed many major events, including the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. It also hosted the national team and was used by local clubs. Although the stadium featured an athletics track, it far more frequently hosted football matches than athletics events.

The stadium was distinguished by its unique membrane roof, reminiscent of traditional Bedouin tents. At the time of its opening, it featured the largest stadium roof surface area in the world (47,000 m²).

When were the first plans to modernize King Fahd Sports City made?

Plans to modernize the country's most important stadium had been in the works for some time. In 2016, a concept by the Italian studio Schiattarella Associati was adopted, which involved expanding the facilities and making some changes to the stands, while preserving the stadium's image and its distinctive roof.

The Italian architects' design was ultimately not implemented, and the stadium remained unchanged since its opening. However, with Saudi Arabia's growing ambitions to host major sporting events, especially in football, further plans to modernize the facility began to be developed.

When was the current concept for the redevelopment of King Fahd Sports City created?

Saudi Arabia wanted to create a joint bid with Greece and Egypt to host the 2030 World Cup, and the country also applied to host the 2027 Asian Cup.

The joint bid for the World Cup did not work out, but on February 1, 2023, Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the host of the 2027 Asian Cup. On the same day, plans for the stadiums for the event were presented to the wider public, including the redevelopment of King Fahd Stadium, which was to play a key role and host, among others, the final of the tournament.

The main idea behind the project was to remove the athletics track and convert the stadium into a football-specific venue.

Will King Fahd Sports City be the venue for the World Cup?

Although it failed to compete for the 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia, this time on its own, decided to bid for the next edition of the World Cup, to be held in 2034. In October 2023, FIFA was accepting applications from candidates. The process was limited to countries from Asia and Oceania, and since Saudi Arabia was the only one to submit a bid, it practically secured the right to host the tournament.

In preparation for the World Cup, Saudi Arabia had to present an even more ambitious bid than for the Asian Cup. The full list of 15 venues proposed for the tournament was announced on July 31, 2024, when the so-called “bid book” was published.

The list of stadiums for the World Cup naturally included King Fahd Sports City, although no longer as the largest and most important venue, as the huge King Salman International Stadium is to be built to host the opening and final matches, as well as serving as the new national stadium.

What changes have been made to the King Fahd Sports City redevelopment project?

In December 2023, an updated concept for the stadium's reconstruction was presented, which introduced, among other things, a slightly different appearance of the stands and a smaller capacity (70,000 spectators, compared to the previously announced 80,000), as well as a changed arrangement of the surroundings. Design was carried out by the renowned architectural firm Populous.

A little earlier, in November 2023, another change took place. The stadium's previous name, King Fahd International Stadium, was replaced with a new one: King Fahd Sports City.

What does the King Fahd Sports City redevelopment project entail?

The project involves the removal of the athletics track and the reconstruction of the stands, which will be redesigned for football and moved closer to the pitch. Thanks to the expansion, the stadium's capacity will increase to approximately 70,000 spectators.

The redevelopment of the stands will be quite extensive – only the upper tier of the eastern stand will be retained from the existing structure, while the pitch will be lowered by 10 metres.

During the works, the large roof membrane will be removed, although it will later be reinstated in a similar form and enhanced with a panoramic video screen suspended from its inner edge. The surface area of the new roof will be 36,000 m².

Despite the removal of the athletics track, it will still be possible to install a temporary one, as was the case at Hampden Park for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The track will be needed, for example, for the Asian Games, which are scheduled to take place in Riyadh at the end of 2034.

As part of the modernisation, a sports museum and retail spaces are planned, while the exterior of the stadium will receive an attractive facade featuring distinctive hexagonal motifs that were already present on the stadium in the past.

Significant changes will also be made to the surrounding area, where a recreational park is planned, including training pitches, an amphitheatre, a footgolf course, and parking facilities.

When will King Fahd Sports City be rebuilt?

Although the investment had been announced earlier, the redevelopment of the stadium did not begin until late 2024. Works are expected to be completed in 2026, so that the venue is ready for the AFC Asian Cup, scheduled for early 2027 (King Fahd Sports City is set to host the opening match and the final).

A report on the reconstruction of King Fahd Sports City can be found on a separate subpage