Exclusive-Saudi Arabia quietly shelving NEOM Stadium, one of 2034 World Cup venues

Saudi Arabia is quietly abandoning plans for a major stadium at the NEOM development, one of the venues anticipated for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The NEOM Stadium was envisioned as a grand elevated arena within the futuristic The Line project, part of the ambitious NEOM development introduced a decade ago as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 plan to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce oil dependency.

However, NEOM's governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan confirmed in April that The Line was no longer a priority and would not be essential before 2030, the original delivery date for its first phase. The decision to shelve the NEOM Stadium comes amid mounting challenges for Saudi Arabia, including the ongoing Iran conflict, which has disrupted oil shipments and critical infrastructure, and a fiscal deficit expected to be larger than forecast, with a projected real GDP contraction of 3.6 percent.

The kingdom is currently focusing on constructing or renovating 15 venues across five cities, with a total investment of $22.7 billion, as part of its preparations for the World Cup, which is the first to feature the expanded 48-team format.