Populous to replace King Fahd Stadium canopy for 2034 World Cup

Architecture studio Populous has unveiled plans to renovate the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The stadium, opened in 1987 and home to the Saudi Arabia national football team, will have its tent-like roof canopy replaced with a 36,000-square-metre cable-net canopy supported by new structural masts. Populous aims to preserve the stadium's iconic silhouette. Capacity will be expanded to 70,000 seats by excavating 10 metres into the ground to add a lower tier. The excavated soil will be used to create landscaped areas and training grounds within a new park featuring a sports centre, amphitheatre, football pitches, and shops. A cooling strategy using deployable terrace covers will reduce concrete seating temperatures by up to eight degrees Celsius. The stadium is one of 15 venues being built or updated for the 2034 World Cup. Populous is also designing the King Salman International Stadium, the country's largest, set to host the final. Last year, a migrant worker died while working on the Aramco stadium, and human rights groups including Amnesty International have criticised worker conditions.