Saudi Arabia scraps sky-high NEOM Stadium as World Cup 2034 infrastructure plans unravel

Saudi Arabia has abandoned plans to build the NEOM Stadium, a 46,000-seat venue that was to be suspended 350 metres above ground as part of the futuristic smart city known as The Line, casting doubt over the country’s infrastructure promises ahead of the 2034 World Cup.

Construction intelligence platform MEED Projects, cited by Reuters, currently categorises the NEOM Stadium as ‘on hold’. The ground had been envisioned as the centrepiece of The Line — a proposed city 200 metres wide and 110 miles long, with no cars or roads, a mirrored glass exterior, and all basic services within a five-minute walk. Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the concept in 2021.

The project has drawn sustained criticism from urban planners, human rights organisations, and environmental groups. An ITV documentary reported that migrant workers on the site were expected to work “way beyond what the international minimum standards permit”, while thousands of residents were displaced to make way for construction. Analysts have also questioned the feasibility of the timeline and the estimated cost, with reports suggesting $50 billion has already been invested and trillions more required to complete the city.

Saudi Arabia was awarded the 2034 World Cup by FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2023. The process attracted widespread controversy: FIFA gave interested nations just 25 days to declare their intent to bid, and Saudi Arabia announced its candidacy within minutes of the window opening. Critics argued the compressed timeline effectively eliminated Europe, Africa, and South America from contention, particularly after FIFA awarded Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay matches at the 2030 tournament as part of its centenary commemorations.

The kingdom’s original bid listed 15 stadiums across the country, with only four already built at the time of submission. NEOM was designated as a host city. Among the other proposed venues still in various stages of planning or development are the King Abdullah Economic City Stadium, Jeddah Central Development Stadium, ROSHN Stadium, New Murabba Stadium, Qiddiya Coast Stadium, Aramco Stadium, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, South Riyadh Stadium, and King Salman International Stadium.

With the tournament now less than a decade away and one of its most high-profile venues shelved, questions are mounting over whether Saudi Arabia can deliver the infrastructure it promised when it secured the right to host football’s biggest event.