King Fahd Stadium

One of the Middle East's most iconic stadiums is being reborn for football's biggest stage. King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh, opened in 1987 and nicknamed "The Tent" for its distinctive Arabian tent-inspired roof, is undergoing a major renovation by architecture firm Populous ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The project will expand capacity to around 70,000 seats, replace the aging roof canopy with a new 36,000-square-meter cable-net structure while preserving the stadium's beloved silhouette, and convert it into a football-specific venue by removing the original athletics track. Set to serve as the centerpiece of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup before the World Cup arrives, the revamped stadium is being reimagined not just as a match-day venue but as a year-round community hub surrounded by parkland, training facilities, and green space.