Saudi Arabia is bidding to host the 2034 World Cup football tournament. If successful, government officials plan to build a futuristic new stadium on the Line, an audacious 170km-long mirrored city in the desert.
The Line is an incredible horizontal skyscraper currently under construction in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It will be built in phases and will take the form of a mirrored rectangle in the desert, and once complete it will house up to 9 million permanent residents – the population of New York City in a huge mirrored rectangle in the desert.
There were rumours that the line was in trouble, with initial targets being scaled back and widespread doubts about whether it could reach the total length of 170 km (105 mi). However, the World Cup bid confirms that the Saudi Arabian authorities are committed to completing the first section by 2030. This first section will be 2.4 km (1.5 mi) long, 500 m (1,640 ft) high and 200 m (656 ft) wide. It will also sit on a large artificial marina.
Saudi Arabia will be looking to eclipse regional rival Qatar’s own World Cup experience, and Neom Stadium is certainly a good way to do so. Details are currently scant, but we do know that it will be built on the fifth and highest level of the Line, 350m (almost 1,150ft) above ground. The rendering in the FIFA bid book depicts a chunky, futuristic-looking stadium, and will be powered entirely by renewable energy, mainly from wind and solar sources. There will also be excellent transport links to restaurants and hotels within the mirrored city. But as in Qatar, heat will remain a concern for spectators and players.
Saudi 2034
“Neom Stadium will be the most unique stadium in the world,” reads the description in the bid book. “With a pitch located more than 350 meters above the ground, magnificent views and a roof created from the city itself, the stadium will be a unique experience. It will benefit from the most advanced technology for players, spectators and broadcasters (e-ticket gates, 4K Ultra HD broadcasting, etc.). The stadium's capacity will be more than 45,000.”
Neom Stadium is the most intriguing of the 15 stadiums planned for Saudi Arabia's World Cup hosting program. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed in 2032.
Sources: FIFA [pdf]Saudi 2034 Proposal, Neom