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Saudi Arabia World Cup 2034

All the news, analysis and insight on the upcoming Saudi Arabia World Cup 2034

Blair Kinghorn of Scotland scores a try against Australia at Murrayfield. The sides will compete in rugby's new Nations Championship, to be sponsored by Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways signs $97m deal to sponsor new rugby tournament

Qatar Airways has agreed a $97 million deal to sponsor the new World Rugby Nations Championship. The eight-year deal will cover the qualifying matches and finals for the first four editions of the rugby union tournament from 2026 to 2034. The agreement is the biggest title sponsorship in international rugby, according to The Guardian. The […]

People celebrate after Saudi Arabia is awarded the 2034 World Cup. As well as new stadiums, the country is preparing 134 training centres

World Cup contractors may have to register in Saudi

Foreign companies hoping to capitalise on Saudi Arabia’s SAR100 billion ($26.6 billion) World Cup preparations must be registered in the kingdom, according to the chief executive of a leading Saudi-based investment company. “Don’t waste time offering services from abroad,” said Mohammed AlQahtani, CEO at Saudi Arabia Holding Company, a private equity firm in Riyadh, in […]

Sheffield United Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Prince sells English football club to US consortium

Saudi Arabia’s United World Group, led by Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has sold its interest in the English Championship side Sheffield United. The club, currently sitting at the top of the table heading into the busy Christmas schedule of fixtures, has been taken over by the American consortium COH Sports for […]

Saudi Arabia's sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, celebrates as Fifa confirms Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host

Saudi Arabia wins 2034 Fifa World Cup bid

Fifa, the world football governing body, has officially named Saudi Arabia as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup.  The kingdom submitted its bid to host the event in July under the slogan “Growing. Together” after Fifa invited bids from countries in Asia and Oceania last year. The only country in contention, Australia, did […]

Riyadh's new road network aims to reduce hours lost in traffic gridlock and improve average trip durations

Parsons signs deal to improve Riyadh’s road network

US company Parsons Corporation has won a contract to manage the development of Riyadh’s road network, as the Saudi capital city gears up to host Expo 2030 and the Fifa World Cup 2034. The $53-million three-year contract was awarded by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to the New York Stock Exchange-listed company, which […]

Saudi world cup risk Fifa president Gianni Infantino, right, with the Saudi Arabian minister for sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, and the president of the Saudi football federation, Yasser Al Misehal

Fifa praises ‘impressive’ Saudi World Cup 2034 bid

The vast construction projects proposed by Saudi Arabia for the 2034 Fifa World Cup are impressive, but present a medium risk of not being completed in time, football’s governing body Fifa has warned. In a 110-page bid evaluation document, Fifa’s inspection team said Saudi Arabia must invest “significant effort and time” to fulfill its ambitious […]

Rio Ferdinand, pictured at the Qatar Grand Prix, said in a statement that Koora Break 'innovates through fan engagement'

Rio Ferdinand invests in Saudi sports platform

Rio Ferdinand, the former England and Manchester United footballer, has invested in a Saudi sports platform.  The Ferdinand Group (TFG), a sports and entertainment investment company owned by the ex player, acquired a minority stake in Koora Break, described as the fastest-growing football app in the Middle East and North Africa. No specific financial terms […]

Construction work in Riyadh. The Saudi capital is hoping to draw private sector funding for massive projects such as Expo 2030

Riyadh hopes to entice private sector to landmark projects 

Riyadh is courting private-sector investors to fuel its ambitious development agenda, offering significant opportunities but grappling with resistance from companies citing financial risks, a senior official said. The push to involve private firms highlights Saudi Arabia’s challenges as it transitions from government-led development to growth driven by the private sector, a pillar of its Vision […]

The striking Riyadh Metro station in Kiing Abdullah Financial District - will it draw Saudis from their cars?

Riyadh Metro could get Saudis to quit their cars

OK. So it did not go entirely as advertised. The first phase of the Riyadh Metro was due to open on Wednesday; instead the system has been inaugurated and operation of three of the six lines – Blue, Yellow and Violet – officially starts on December ...

Roshn was established to deliver 400,000 homes under the Vision 2030 goal of reaching 70 percent homeownership; ownership was at 64 percent in 2023

Banks vying to fund Roshn’s Saudi expansion

Interest in PIF-backed Roshn Turning away lenders Plan is backed by consortium Saudi real estate developer Roshn, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is reporting strong interest from banks eager to finance its projects, ...

Saudi Arabia says Vision 2030 will create housing for ordinary citizens, not just tourism projects Video length: 06:30

Minister trumpets Saudi Arabia’s $168bn housing push

Real estate transactions in Saudi Arabia have totalled $168 billion so far this year, the Saudi minister of municipalities and housing, Majed Al Hogail, told a real estate forum in Riyadh this week. Speaking at the Cityscape exhibition, which is trying to promote Riyadh-centred giga-projects, the minister said that Saudi Arabia is pushing to finish […]

Saudi Arabia fans wave flags before a World Cup qualifier in Jeddah. The country is sole bidder for the 2034 tournament

Roshn seeks contractors for Riyadh World Cup stadium

Saudi real estate developer Roshn is inviting expressions of interest from international and local contractors for its 45,000-seat football stadium in Riyadh. Iain McBride, Roshn’s head of commercial, said the Public Investment Fund subsidiary was actively seeking partners “very early in the process” to help “de-risk” the project. “What we don’t want is to design, […]

Saudi Arabia's finance minister Mohammed Al Jadaan on stage at the FII conference. The country's revenue has risen 12%

Saudi Arabia’s deficit rises again as oil output cuts bite

Saudi Arabia’s budget deficit was SAR58 billion ($15.5 billion) in the first nine months of 2024, rising by SAR30 billion in the third quarter alone and confirming predictions of a funding crunch for the country’s giga-projects.  The finance ministry said in October that it expects to post an overall deficit of SAR118 billion this year […]

At-Turaif in Diriyah. Restoration and other projects in the region are now due for completion in 2030

Diriyah delays completion date as projects vie for funds

The historical district of Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s major giga-projects, will be completed in time for the World Expo in 2030 – three years later than previously announced, its CEO Jerry Inzerillo said on Wednesday.  The giga-projects, valued in total at more than $1.25 trillion, are competing for government and private sector resources amid […]

The housing needs of hundreds of thousands of workers on construction sites in Saudi Arabia will now be met by the Smart Accommodation for Residential Complexes Company

PIF launches company to build worker accommodation

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has established a company to develop and operate accommodation for workers employed on major projects in the kingdom. Smart Accommodation for Residential Complexes Company (Sarcc) will build workers’ accommodation for both public and private sector developers who are working on projects across the country.  Sarcc will also seek opportunities […]

Trains: A Dubai metro station – a third line is due by 2029

Trains, planes and more trains (or metros)

Is it finally happening? It was conceived back in 2013 and was supposed to take four years to build but the Riyadh metro looks like it is about to open. To the hard-pressed inhabitants of the Saudi capital, that can only be a good thing. Altern...

Saudi Arabia government official and Inter Milan executives at the licence granting event

Inter Milan becomes first club to get Saudi investment licence

Italy’s Inter Milan has become the first international football club to receive a licence in Saudi Arabia. The ministry of investment licence will support the club in extending its brand presence in the Middle East and growing its fanbase. Inter Milan, or Nerazzurri, will bring its expertise and experience as a top-level football club to […]