Populous designing 92,000-seat stadium for Saudi World Cup
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Ministry of Sport have unveiled a stadium designed by architecture studio Populous in Riyadh, which will host the 2034 World Cup final.
Named King Salman Stadium, the stadium is planned for a site in north of Riyadh alongside the Riyadh 2030 Expo site and near the Zaha Hadid-designed King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre.
Scheduled for completion in 2029, the stadium will be the largest in the country and host games at the World Cup in 2034 including the final.
Designed by stadium specialist Populous, the design of the building was informed by mountains and will include large expanses of green walls. It was selected from a shortlist of six designs.
"The chosen design draws inspiration from the mountainous landscape, integrating with King Abdulaziz Park through a valley that intersects the surrounding stadium garden and green spaces," said the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
"The main stadium's architectural design includes green walls and ceilings spanning over 96,500 square meters, drawing inspiration from local urban structures and aligning with environmental sustainability and green building standards," it continued.
"This design will establish a distinctive global sports architectural icon capable of hosting major local and international entertainment events."
According to the royal commission, the stadium will have a capacity of 92,000 and will contain a "150-seat royal suite" along with 120 hospitality suites and 2,200 dignitary seats.
It will be topped with a walking track that will have views over the surrounding parkland.
Alongside the stadium, a series of other sporting facilities will be built – including an arena, Olympic-sized swimming pool, athletics track and outdoor courts for volleyball and basketball.
The King Salman Stadium is one of 15 that will host games during the 2034 World Cup. Other stadiums set to host games include the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, which will overlook a cliff in Qiddiya.
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