Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious entertainment and sports destination is preparing to take another major step forward. The Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) is expected to issue a construction tender in May 2026 for the National Athletics Stadium, a landmark SR7 billion ($1.8 billion) venue that will anchor the sports district at the heart of the Qiddiya giga-project southwest of Riyadh.
A World-Class Venue for a World-Class City
The National Athletics Stadium is designed to serve as a multi-purpose venue capable of hosting major international athletics competitions as well as a range of other sporting events. According to project documentation, the design draws inspiration from the iconic London Olympic Stadium, blending contemporary architecture with the functional demands of elite sport. With a project value of SR7 billion, it will rank among the most significant single sporting infrastructure investments in the region.
The procurement process is already underway, with cost consultant duties led by UK-headquartered WT Partnership. Contractor bids are currently under evaluation ahead of the formal tender release planned for May. Once construction begins, the project is expected to move at pace, consistent with the broader acceleration of development across Qiddiya’s various districts.
The Qiddiya Sports District
The National Athletics Stadium will form the centrepiece of Qiddiya’s sports district, a dedicated zone within the wider entertainment city development that spans an area larger than Washington D.C. The sports district is designed to host professional leagues, major tournaments, and elite training facilities, attracting local talent, international athletes, and sports tourism to Saudi Arabia year-round.
Qiddiya’s development extends well beyond sport. The opening of Six Flags Qiddiya in 2025, home to Falcon’s Flight, one of the longest roller coasters in the world, was an early milestone for the project, demonstrating that the entertainment city can deliver world-class experiences at scale. The National Athletics Stadium represents the next major landmark to follow, with the broader Qiddiya development continuing to take shape across entertainment, sport, arts, culture, and education zones.
Vision 2030 Infrastructure in Action
The stadium project is one of many major infrastructure investments advancing under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, which has identified sport as a key pillar of economic diversification and quality-of-life improvement. Saudi Arabia has already confirmed its status as host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and the investment in venues such as the Qiddiya National Athletics Stadium ensures that infrastructure is being built not for a single event but for sustained, long-term use.
With a tender expected within weeks and construction set to follow, the National Athletics Stadium brings one of the Kingdom’s most important sports infrastructure milestones closer to reality, and adds another chapter to the story of a city being built from the ground up to redefine what a destination can be.
