Plans unveiled for Aramco Stadium

Aramco Stadium has become the latest facility to be revealed as part of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure investment drive for its proposed staging of the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

State-owned petroleum and natural gas company Aramco, which will operate the stadium in Al Khobar, has today (Wednesday) revealed Populous’ designs for the facility itself, as well as its surrounding masterplan.

The new 47,000-seat venue will meet international standards and best practices for the world’s premier football competitions. It is scheduled to host games during Saudi Arabia’s staging of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and will be fully compliant with FIFA’s stadium requirements, meaning it would qualify to host World Cup matches up to the quarter-final stage.

Aramco Stadium is one of a number of Populous-designed venues included in the official list of potential stadia for the 2034 World Cup, as published in the Saudi Arabia bid book on July 31. Populous has led the design of the stadium from the initial concept stage and will continue to oversee the project until its completion.

The stadium and surrounding masterplan will be built over an area of approximately 800,000 square metres. Alongside the stadium, the masterplan will incorporate a comprehensive range of community amenities and facilities designed to provide an “unparalleled sports and entertainment experience”, including new sports facilities, retail areas, entertainment zones and public realm spaces.

The stadium aims to achieve LEED Gold certification for sustainability, with Populous stating it will meet international inclusive design best practices.

Drawing inspiration from Al Khobar’s location on the shores of the Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, Populous has created a stadium exterior that “expresses the graceful rotation of waves and the spiral motifs commonly found in nature”. The overlapping translucent sails of the façade seek to create a flowing sequence that allows natural light to penetrate the stadium’s interiors through strategically placed openings.

Within the stadium, the spiral form of the building is echoed in the ramps and walkways that lead spectators to the seating bowl, which has been shaped elliptically to minimise the venue’s footprint and optimise natural ventilation.

Developed by Populous’ specialist designers, the seating bowl will provide world-class viewing for football, with a compact configuration and uninterrupted views of the pitch from every seat. It will incorporate approximately 47,000 gross capacity, with a maximum capacity of 55,000 for concerts and other types of entertainment events. A cooling system will be incorporated for players and spectators in the seating bowl and in select concourse areas.

The interior and hospitality spaces are the responsibility of specialist interior design practice Jump Studios, a Populous company, which has undertaken the spatial arrangement and concept design of the GA, hospitality, VIP and VVIP areas.

The stadium sits at the heart of an expansive mixed-use masterplan designed by Populous. It aims to transform the area into a vibrant, year-round destination with a focus on inclusivity and community engagement. It will include a diverse range of retail and entertainment zones, as well as public spaces for social interaction.

Features like digital sports and e-gaming hubs are intended to attract new businesses and residents, with the aim of creating a self-perpetuating ecosystem. Additionally, a sports training centre with two football pitches will support athlete training, competition and recovery.

Populous Consulting, the design-led business consulting arm of Populous, has developed a comprehensive business plan for Aramco Stadium in an effort to ensure its sustained success and influence beyond Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup vision.

Shireen Hamdan, senior principal and general manager of Populous KSA, said: “The Aramco Stadium development will create a world-class football venue capable of hosting top-tier international tournaments.

“The venue’s stunning setting on the shores of the Arabian Gulf has allowed us to develop a distinctive building form that is instantly and uniquely recognisable. The building’s open design invites the community to gather, celebrate and create lasting memories, making it a symbol of Al Khobar’s rich heritage and vibrant future.

“The design will become iconic in the football world and will be synonymous with Saudi Arabia’s vision to further develop Al Khobar into a global sports destination, attracting visitors from around the world.”

Saudi Arabia’s ambitious proposals for the 2034 World Cup feature 11 new stadiums and no fewer than eight venues in the capital city of Riyadh. The 2034 World Cup has been proposed to take place in just five cities, with the bid book promising a “compact” tournament concept. A total of 15 venues will be used for the 48-team tournament.

Three new stadium projects were announced in recent weeks ahead of the bid book being published. They are ROSHN Stadium (45,000 capacity), King Salman Stadium (92,000 capacity), and New Murabba Stadium (45,000 capacity). All three will be located in Riyadh.

Other planned venues in the capital include Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium (46,979 capacity) and South Riyadh Stadium (47,060 capacity). Three more new venues are planned in the shape of Qiddiya Coast Stadium (Jeddah, 46,096 capacity), King Abdullah Economic City Stadium (Jeddah, 45,700 capacity) and NEOM Stadium (46,010 capacity).

The four existing stadiums put forward in the Saudi bid are King Fahad Sports City and King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, and King Khalid University Stadium in Abha.

Both King Fahad Sports City Stadium and King Abdullah Sports City Stadium will be refurbished ahead of the World Cup, with the former already being renovated ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup. King Saud University Stadium and King Khalid University Stadium will have their capacities temporarily increased for the tournament.

Three more stadiums are also currently under construction: Aramco Stadium, Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium in Riyadh and Jeddah Central Development Stadium in Jeddah. In the bid book, Aramco Stadium was listed to be ready by 2026, with Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium and Jeddah Central Development Stadium to be completed by 2027.

King Salman Stadium, which will serve as the new home of the Saudi national team, is set to host the opening match and the final of the World Cup. All new stadiums are scheduled to be completed by 2032. The bid book also offered a first look at NEOM Stadium, which has been touted as the “most unique stadium in the world”. The stadium will feature a pitch situated more than 350 metres above ground.

Aramco Stadium is to be owned by real estate developer ROSHN Group. Rhys Courtney, Populous senior principal and lead architect for the project, said: “This world-class stadium development spans nearly a square kilometre, creating a seamless connection between the venue and the Sports City district.

“It will support elite-level sports, grassroots sporting activities and leisure opportunities. In terms of scale and facility offerings, this project is one of the most ambitious of its kind globally, underpinning Saudi Arabia’s ambition to make Al Khobar one of the world’s premier sporting destinations.”

FIFA is set to assess the bid books submitted on July 31 and publish its evaluation report in Q4 2024. Should the relevant hosting requirements be met, the Extraordinary FIFA Congress will subsequently take a decision on the appointment of the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 editions of the World Cup later this year.