Saudi Arabia’s major new stadium inspired by sprouting seed

The radical and ongoing transformation that has been taking place in the Middle East for years, and which is set to continue, will include the new King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, designed by Populous, a leading architectural firm in the design of sports facilities, including the future stadium of Roma. The facility - due to open in 2029 - is inspired by the morphology of the surrounding natural landscape and will be the home of the Saudi Arabian national football team, as well as hosting major national and international sporting and entertainment events.
 

Each component of the masterplan is conceived as a germinating seed, emerging from the earth to grow towards the sky: a transformative intervention inspired by the principles of nature. This ‘germination’ symbolises Saudi Arabia’s commitment to promoting and growing sports participation throughout the country, from amateur to professional levels.

The project includes gardens, walkways and a rooftop walkway offering panoramic views of King Abdulaziz Park. In addition to the main competition venue, multi-functional facilities will be built, including commercial space, training pitches, fan areas, an aquatic centre with an Olympic-size swimming pool and an athletics stadium. There will also be an indoor sports hall and a community sports park with facilities for volleyball, basketball, padel and more. A 9km cycle and pedestrian path will link these facilities to King Abdulaziz Park.