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Saudi Arabia's Sport Ministry is preparing to issue tenders for contracts to build sports stadiums as part of its SR10.1bn ($2.7bn) capital projects programme.

"The prequalification process has been completed and the tender for the stadiums is expected to be issued in a week or two," sources close to the scheme told MEED.

In July, the ministry invited construction companies to submit prequalification documents for the main construction contracts. The projects are slated for completion before the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.

The projects are split into four principal elements. The largest of these projects – and the most immediate – covers the construction of a new stadium to the north of Riyadh and the upgrade of five existing football stadiums. This includes:

• Increasing the capacity of King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh to 92,000 seats
• Expanding the seating capacity of Riyadh’s Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium to 45,000
• Increasing the capacity of Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium to 30,000 seats
• An increase in seating capacity for the Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium in Al Khair to 45,000
• The construction of a sustainable New Riyadh Stadium in the north of Riyadh with 45,000 seats

The next main element of the ministry’s projects programme is the construction of 30 new training grounds and facilities in proximity to the stadiums that will be used for the 2027 competition.

Construction on the schemes is expected to start in July 2024 and be completed by December 2025. A total of 18 facilities will be ready in time for the 2026 AFC Women’s Cup.

Advancing stadium projects

Construction activity on other football stadium projects in the country is also progressing. In January, Jeddah Central Development Company selected Beijing-headquartered China Railway Construction Corporation for a contract to build its Jeddah Central stadium project. Construction is expected to start in February and be completed by 2026.

Contractors have also submitted bids for the construction of a new football stadium in Dammam. The bids were submitted on 28 December. The stadium will have the capacity to accommodate 40,000 spectators. The new stadium will be built in the Dammam Sports City area, where the facilities of the Al Ettifaq FC and Al Nahda Club teams are located.

Contractors also submitted separate bids for a contract to build the temporary facilities that are required for the construction of the Dammam stadium.

In October, MEED exclusively reported that the Saudi Arabian Football Federation had awarded a contract to the local Al Osais Contracting for the early works for the Dammam football stadium. The scope includes site preparation, enabling works and basic infrastructure works.

The facility will be used to host international tournaments such as the 2027 AFC Cup and the 2034 Fifa World Cup. The project is being fast-tracked and is expected to be completed by the first half of 2026.

Consultants have also been invited by Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle the Public Investment Fund (PIF) to bid for a contract to provide project and asset management services for the operation and upgrade of its King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on the outskirts of Jeddah.

The PIF is also seeking contractors to develop a multi-purpose stadium at its Qiddiya entertainment city project on the outskirts of Riyadh. In November, PIF-backed Qiddiya Investment Company issued a tender inviting companies to bid for the main contract to build the stadium. The bids for the main contract were submitted in December.

The PIF also has plans for a stadium that will be built 300 metres above the ground between the two buildings that form part of The Line development at the Neom gigaproject. This stadium has featured in Neom’s marketing campaigns.

MEED's October 2023 special report on Saudi Arabia includes: 

> COMMENT: Riyadh reshapes its global role
> POLITICS: Saudi Arabia looks both east and west
> SPORT: Saudi Arabia’s football vision goes global
> ECONOMY: Riyadh prioritises stability over headline growth
> BANKS: Saudi banks track more modest growth path
> UPSTREAM: Aramco focuses on upstream capacity building
> DOWNSTREAM: Saudi chemical and downstream projects in motion
> POWER: Riyadh rides power projects surge
> WATER: Saudi water projects momentum holds steady
> GIGAPROJECTS: Gigaproject activity enters full swing
> TRANSPORT: Infrastructure projects support Riyadh’s logistics ambitions
> JEDDAH TOWER: Jeddah developer restarts world’s tallest tower