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Saudi Aramco has selected a joint venture of Belgian contractor Besix and local Albawani for an estimated SR3.7bn ($1bn) contract to build a new football stadium in Dammam.

The stadium and the surrounding masterplan will be built over an area of about 800,000 square metres (sq m) and will accommodate 45,000 spectators.

The facility will be used to host international tournaments such as the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup and the 2034 Fifa World Cup.

The new stadium will be built in the Dammam Sports City area, where the facilities of the Ettifaq FC and Al Nahda Club teams are located.

The project is being fast-tracked and is expected to be completed by the first half of 2026.

UK-based architectural firm Foster + Partners is the project consultant.

In January, MEED exclusively reported that Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry had received bids on 28 December for the contract to build the new stadium.

Contractors also submitted bids on 25 December for a separate contract to build the temporary facilities that are required for the construction of the stadium.

The scope of the contract covers the construction of six buildings, each built over an area of 548 sq m.

The buildings will include temporary offices and other associated facilities.

Lebanese consultant Dar Al Handasah is the project consultant.

In October, MEED exclusively reported that the client had awarded a contract to the local Al Osais Contracting for the early works for the new football stadium in Dammam. The scope included site preparation, enabling works and basic infrastructure works. 

In May, Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry said it is undertaking a SR10.1bn ($2.7bn) programme to build new sporting facilities and upgrade existing ones over the next five years.

Speaking at the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh in May 2023, the ministry said its capital projects programme is split into four principal elements.

The largest of these, and the most immediate, is the scheme to upgrade and increase the capacity of five existing football stadiums ahead of the AFC Cup, which the kingdom will host in 2027.

In June, the ministry invited construction companies to submit prequalification documents by 13 July for contracts to build the sports stadiums. 

The next main element of the ministry’s projects programme is constructing 30 new training grounds and facilities near 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.

INFOGRAPHIC: Market snapshot of Saudi's stadium and expo projects