Newcastle United chairman visits new $1bn PIF stadium site as club await St James' Park green light
Saudi Arabia are building several state-of-the-art stadiums in preparation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Newcastle United chairman and Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan visited the construction site of one of Saudi Arabia’s new stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Earlier this month, Al-Rumayyan and fellow directors from the PIF-owned Aramco visited the site of the Aramco Stadium in Khobar.
The Aramco Stadium is one of 10 new stadiums being built ahead of the FIFA World Cup and will be owned by PIF development company, Roshn. All 10 of the new stadiums are either owned by PIF or the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport, which are closely linked.
Saudi plans to build ‘one of the best’ stadiums in the world
The Saudi Ministry of Sport’s stadium masterplan also involves building one of the world’s largest and best sporting venues.
The King Salman Stadium will be based in Riyadh and have a capacity of more than 92,000. The stadium has been designed by architectural firm Populous, who designed Tottenham Hotspur’s Stadium and whom Newcastle United have consulted regarding the future of St James’ Park.
Images released by Populous show a stadium design inspired by ‘Saudi Arabia’s mesmerising natural landscape’.
It will be a multi-use venue with a variety of sports facilities, commercial areas and recreational facilities. Part of its 92,000-plus capacity will be 300 ‘VVIP' seats and 2,200 VIP seats with hospitality skyboxes and lounges.
The full ‘masterplan’ involving the stadium’s surrounding area includes an athletic training camp, training pitches, a community sports park, an aquatics centre and multi-purpose sports halls.
The stadium will be home to the Saudi Arabia national football team and is due for completion in late 2029. The King Salman Stadium is set to host the tournament’s opening match and final.
But there is another World Cup stadium far closer to completion.
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Yasir Al-Rumayyan visits new state-of-the-art stadium owned by PIF
The Aramco Stadium started construction in 2024 and is due for completion in 2026, according to Saudi Arabia’s FIFA World Cup ‘bid book’.
The Populous-designed stadium’s construction cost is estimated to cost PIF’s company, Roshn, around $1 billion. It will have a capacity of 46,096 and include a state-of-the-art cooling system which is currently getting installed.
An announcement from the Aramco Stadium’s official X account posted a photo of Al-Rumayyan at the work-in-progress stadium with the caption: “Aramco’s Board of Directors toured the upcoming #AramcoStadium, witnessing firsthand the remarkable progress achieved through teamwork, innovation, and dedication to safety.”
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Newcastle United stadium plans
The quick progress made in Saudi Arabia with the signing off and construction of 10 new stadiums directly contrasts what is happening at Newcastle United and St James’ Park.
Newcastle are majority-owned by PIF and the club’s ownership has been transparent since the takeover in wanting to develop the club’s stadium either through expansion or construction of a new arena.
Last year, the club issued a statement claiming the plans for the stadium would be revealed in early 2026 following a feasibility study and period of consultation. Over a year on and no major update has surfaced, with the exception of UEFA confirming St James’ Park as a host venue for Euro 2028.
So St James’ Park is set to stay for at least another three years with Newcastle having to provide assurances over the stadium in order for it to be named as one of the host venues for the tournament.
The club’s preference is to build a new stadium on a nearby site, which will allow St James’ Park to remain intact and available for use. Even considering the numerous challenges faced by the club regarding the future of the stadium, progress has been slow.