Saudi Arabia is spending billions to become a leading powerhouse in the world of entertainment and sports. The oil exporter nation is already hosting sport competitions like UFC and boxing events or tennis tournaments with absurd amounts of money.
Football remains Saudi's biggest sport, with the Saudi Pro League attracting European talent like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema, and suspiciously securing the 2034 FIFA World Cup with no competition.
With eyes set on the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia will build one of the most spectacular stadiums in the world. The King Salman Stadium, located in northern Riyadh, has been unveiled today.
Designed by prestigious architectural firm Populous - creators of Las Vegas' Sphere -, the King Salman Stadium has a seating capacity of 92,000 people, including 2,300 VIP seats and 300 VVIP seats. It is expected to open in 2029 as the Saudi Arabia national team main headquarters, as well as hosting other sporting and entertainment events.
It has been inspired by Saudi Arabia's natural landscape, "with the symbolic concept of each venue within the masterplan representing a seed that germinates, cracks the earth and emerges as a dynamic yet seemingly natural intervention".
The King Salman Stadium is only one of eleven new stadiums expected to be built in time for the 2034 World Cup, but this will be the largest of them all.