Saudi Arabia to build three new stadiums for Asian Cup 2027
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has announced that it will be building three new stadiums in the Kingdom after it won the bid to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
In a statement, the federation said that the three new stadiums – Riyadh Stadium, Qiddiya Stadium, Dammam Stadium, will be part of eight main stadiums for the tournament. Four of the stadiums – King Fahd Stadium, Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium, Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd Stadium, and Prince Saud Bin Jalawi City – will be rebuilt and developed in a ‘different way’.
Additionally, three stadiums – King Abdullah Sports City, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, King Saud University Stadium – will have additional equipment installed for the tournament, it added.
The cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam will host the finals of the largest continental football event. SAFF added that the Riyadh Stadium, which will be built specially for the Asian Cup, will feature a unique design, fun experience, and will have the capability to increase the capacity. It will also be easily accessible by metro.
The second announced stadium is the Dammam Stadium, which will be built to modern specifications that suit the regional environment, cater to the fan experience, and ensure aesthetic satisfaction.
Finally, the Qiddiya Stadium in Riyadh will be a major landmark, SAFF said, adding that the stadium will be ‘a masterpiece that Saudi 2027 will provide to Asia’.
Renovation and Rehabilitation
With regards to the stadiums that are being rehabilitated, the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh will include the removal of a racing track, thus increasing the number of seats and allowing for the establishment of new facilities. The Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium is located in the centre of Riyadh, and will be connected via a metro station. Its renovation will also include the removal of a running track, increasing its capacity and expanding facilities.
The Prince Saud Bin Jalawi City Stadium in Khobar will have an integrated rehabilitation, with capacity increased and stands added throughout the stadium. The Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam will go through a first-of-its-kind renovation process for Saudi 2027, SAFF added, and will include increasing capacity and removing the track.
In total, Saudi Arabia will host the tournament across three cities and 10 stadiums, the federation concluded.
