NEOM Stadium – design description

What does the NEOM Stadium project look like in a nutshell?

The futuristic NEOM Stadium is poised to become one of the most extraordinary stadiums in the world. The facility is to be part of The Line, a spectacular megaproject being developed as part of NEOM, a smart city to be built in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The audacious project was developed in conjunction with the 2034 World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia. The facility will feature unconventional architecture reminiscent of sci-fi movies and will be set on top of The Line building, with the field located more than 350 meters above the ground.

What is The Line?

The Line will be a linear city composed of a single building – it is expected to be 500 meters high, which will already rank it among the world's tallest buildings, meanwhile the structure will stretch as far as 170 kilometers. The building will be covered on both sides with a mirrored facade, and inside it will be full of modern technologies and advanced engineering solutions.

The building is to be car-free, and transportation will be provided by, among other things, a high-speed rail line with trains traveling at speeds of more than 500 km/h. The Line is to be fully powered by renewable energy, with a target population of about 9 million people.

The Line is a flagship project under NEOM, a new city to be built off the coast of the Red Sea in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It is one of the most ambitious architectural projects being undertaken in modern times.

Plans for The Line were announced in 2021, while only preliminary site preparation work was done over the next few years. The project is being financed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.

What are the objectives of the NEOM Stadium project?

NEOM Stadium is to be built between 2027 and 2032, as part of the first phase of The Line, which includes the construction of a 2.5-kilometer segment called Hidden Marina. This segment is to cross the waters of the bay, and is to include a gate through which ships will enter the harbor located on the other side.

What will NEOM Stadium look like?

The stadium will be integrated into The Line building and will be located in its upper part, with the field positioned at a height of more than 350 meters (for comparison, the height of the Eiffel Tower is 330 meters). The capacity of the venue is expected to be more than 46,000 spectators.

The facility will be characterized by avant-garde architecture: its stands will consist of numerous modules in the form of polygons of various shapes and sizes, and the roof, which will be located above the auditorium, will create a part of the city.

What role will NEOM Stadium play?

The stadium is to be part of a sports district, and a university will also be located nearby. The facility will be the center of sports activities in The Line and is expected to become one of the main symbols of the megaproject. The arena is to be hosted by a professional football team representing the new city.

Plans for an ultra-modern stadium in NEOM have emerged in preparation for the 2034 soccer World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia – the facility is to be one of the venues for the event and will host matches up to the quarterfinal stage.