Inside a new stadium set to redefine the future of football
Inside a new stadium set to redefine the future of football As Al Nassr and Al Hilal prepare to compete in one of football's most electric rivalries, the stage is being set for an entirely new chapter in Qiddiya City, and one that will unfold on the edge of a cliff. On Tuesday, May 12, one of the most significant matches in recent Saudi Pro League memory will take place between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and their fierce Riyadh rivals Al Hilal, spearheaded by Karim Beznema. Victory for Al Nassr, in what will be their penultimate match of the season, will guarantee a coveted first league title for all-time great Ronaldo since his trailblazing move to the Kingdom in 2023.
The Riyadh Derby, one of the most ferocious rivalries in Asian football, has always carried immense cultural weight in Saudi Arabia. But in the years ahead, it is set to carry something else entirely: the full spectacle of a stadium the world has never seen before. The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium is rising from the upper plateau of Qiddiya City, 45 kilometres southwest of central Riyadh.
This vibrant city, being built from scratch, will bring entertainment, sports and culture together in a way never seen before and will be home to over 500,000 residents. It will also be home to both Al Nassr and Al Hilal. And from the moment construction is complete on the new stadium, the derby will never look or feel the same again.
The numbers alone are striking. A capacity of 45,000, expandable to 58,500 for concert and combat sports events. A structure standing 170 metres tall from the lower plateau to its summit.
The world's first venue to combine a retractable roof, retractable pitch and retractable west facade, all within a building perched, over the edge of a 200-metre cliff in one of the world’s best new city developments, Qiddiya City. "We went through 37 different designs,” said Barry Bremner, Senior Executive Director of Sports Strategy at Qiddiya Investment Company. “The brief from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was that it had to reflect the DNA of Qiddiya City; the world’s first city built for play anchored on entertainment, sport and culture.
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