populous envisions mixed-use stadium cascading over qiddiya cliffs

first look at Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium in qiddiya

Saudi Arabia‘s Qiddiya City has revealed designs for the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a monumental Gaming and Esports venue located atop the 200-meter-high Tuwaiq cliff and just 40 minutes from Riyadh. This futuristic complex is anticipated to revolutionize the traditional stadium experience with its immersive modular layout and technological plugins and host some of Saudi Arabia’s biggest sports, entertainment, and cultural events. Led by Populous, the design draws inspiration from both the scenic clifftop setting and the inventive ‘Play Life’ philosophy of Qiddiya — revealing an outer structure adorned with a matrix of modular cubes framed by portals, seemingly extending the Tuwaiq cliff. ‘The stadium spans the height of the cliff to connect the upper plateau and the Gaming & Esports district to the lower plateau and theme parks below,’ shares Rhys Courtney, senior principal and project lead.

all renders © Populous, courtesy Qiddiya City

populous reveals cascading & modular venue with LED wall

The Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya is envisioned as a fully integrated venue with a combined retractable roof, pitch, and LED wall — allowing the architecture to transform into different ‘event modes’ in a matter of hours. The LED wall will be a portal to live event broadcasts and high-definition films; when inactive, it will open up onto breathtaking views of Qiddiya City. Design-wise, ‘the cubes and portals spill down the cliff to create a massive digital canvas that interacts with users at different scales, from street-level vistas to the three-sided seating bowl experience, to citywide views–transcending the stadium typology. The central stadium is encircled by towers, creating a 365-day mixed use sports and entertainment precinct forming hierarchies of space and activation,’ continues Courtney. Tucked between the stadium and towers is a mixed-reality street that guides visitors to the scenic cliff vistas.

Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium proposal by Populous

from gaming and football to concerts and theatre

Guests can enjoy multiple spectacles in a single day, including football, boxing, esports, concerts, and theatre performances, to name a few. The stadium will employ cutting-edge technology to provide fans with instant access to live data and information, including state-of-the-art technology such as HoloBox, enabling virtual interactions with celebrities and stars. As a central venue in an urban entertainment district, the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman stadium promises an extended play experience with direct and convenient access to Qiddiya City’s Gaming & Esport District and other city entertainment options.

a matrix of modular cubes framed by portals

Integrated into the city fabric through several transportation choices, including park ’n ride and drop-off zones, the stadium is also within direct proximity to 50,000 square meters of shopping, dining, entertainment spaces, and hotel options. The 45-000 seat multi-functional stadium fully complies with FIFA club and international competition requirements. Once open, it will serve as the home ground of Saudi Pro League football clubs Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr and is one of the proposed venues for the Kingdom’s 2034 FIFA World Cup bid. It is also poised to host some of the region’s most prominent sports events, like the Saudi King Cup, the Asian Cup, and possibly the 2034 Asian Games.

an LED wall clads the facade

An estimated 7.6 million annual visits are expected to fill up the upcoming Qiddiya stadium, which will be able to host events all year round in its climate-controlled facilities, where energy consumption will be reduced through an eco-friendly cooling lake built directly underneath. The lake will use rainwater capture from the stadium and the surrounding area to pre-cool the air conditioning system.

Populous led the stadium design in Qiddiya City