Qiddiya Coast Stadium – design description

The new Qiddiya Coast Stadium is to be built as part of the larger Qiddiya Coast urban development project, which is being implemented on the Red Sea coast, some 70 kilometers north of the center of Jeddah. The Qiddiya Investment Company, part of the Public Investment Fund, is responsible for the project.

The impetus for the plans to build a large stadium was the 2034 World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia – Qiddiya Coast Stadium is to be one of the venues for the tournament.

Qiddiya Investment Company is also undertaking another, even larger development project near Riyadh, Qiddiya City, where another venue for the 2034 World Cup, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, is to be built (at the initial stage, the project for this venue was called Qiddiya Stadium, which can be confusing for both developments).

Qiddiya Coast Stadium is expected to accommodate more than 46,000 spectators and will be covered with a unique skeleton consisting of flat ribs, shaped in such a way that from the outside the facility is given the form of an irregular, undulating mass.

The undulating shell, covered in vibrant, joyful colors, is meant to refer to a Mexican wave. On a metaphorical level, the stadium is also meant to reflect the relationship between people and water, energy and matter.

The facility is to be built between 2029 and 2032. After the World Cup, the upper level of the stands could be demolished, reducing the capacity to about 25,000 spectators. After the World Cup, the stadium is expected to host a variety of events – not only football games, but also e-sports tournaments, concerts, exhibitions or conferences.