Prince Mohammed bin Fahad Stadium – design description

How did the concept of redeveloping Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz Stadium come about?

Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz Stadium opened in 1973 and the facility is located in the central part of the city. It has an athletics track, which is surrounded by single-level covered stands that can accommodate more than 22,000 spectators. It is the main stadium in Dammam, although this is set to change once the new Dammam Stadium is built.

Following Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup football tournament, a design for the stadium upgrade has been drawn up by renowned studio Populous. Despite the planned expansion, the stadium is unlikely to host any matches of the tournament, as it has only been included as one of two reserve venues (alongside Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium).

What does the redevelopment concept for Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz Stadium entail?

The redevelopment concept involves removing the athletics track and turning the facility into a typical football arena. The pitch is to be lowered and the running track will be replaced by additional lower rows of spectators. The stands, however, will retain their current shape, with the auditorium behind the goals in the form of arches. The capacity will be increased to 30,000 spectators.

In connection with the extension of the auditorium, the corridor running underneath the stands is also planned to be widened. To cover it, the roof will be widened on the outside by an additional lightweight structure with an undulating contour. The inner edge of the roof, meanwhile, will be enhanced with LED banners.

The rooms for players, journalists and officials will be relocated from the east to the west stand, where completely new VIP/hospitality areas will also be created. There will also be more wheelchair spaces in the stadium.