AI-generated ‘Sky Stadium’ in saudi arabia goes viral
In recent days, dramatic images and videos of a football pitch hovering 350 meters above the desert have gone viral online, sparking global fascination and confusion. The visuals depict what social media users call Saudi Arabia’s Sky Stadium, a futuristic arena seemingly nestled atop a skyscraper. While many international outlets have circulated the renderings as part of the Kingdom’s World Cup 2034 preparations, sources mention that these viral visuals are AI-generated concept art, not released by NEOM or the Saudi Ministry of Sport.
The viral renderings appear to exaggerate a real project described in Saudi Arabia’s official 2034 World Cup bid (find designboom’s previous coverage here): the NEOM Stadium, planned within THE LINE megacity. Unveiled in July 2024 alongside Saudi’s formal bid submission to FIFA in Paris, the NEOM Stadium is envisioned as the world’s first sky stadium, an elevated venue suspended roughly 350 meters above ground, seating around 46,000 spectators. According to the bid book, it will run entirely on renewable wind and solar energy, and after the tournament will serve as a permanent home for a NEOM-based professional football club. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and complete by 2032.
image via @CWMiddleEast
mega-ambitious plan for fifa world cup 2034
The NEOM Stadium forms part of Saudi Arabia’s sweeping plan for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the largest edition ever staged in a single nation. Under the slogan Growing. Together., the country’s official bid unveiled 15 advanced stadiums across five host cities — Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and NEOM. Eleven of these venues are entirely new, while four existing ones will be refurbished and expanded to meet FIFA standards.
Among the headline projects are King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, designed by Populous to seat 92,000 and host the opening and final matches; Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya, featuring a three-sided bowl overlooking the Tuwaiq cliffs; and Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, a whirlpool-inspired design by Foster + Partners along the Arabian Gulf. Each of these projects emphasizes sustainability, accessibility, and legacy reuse — aligning with the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030 goals.
While the Sky Stadium concept has been officially acknowledged through the Saudi 2034 bid documents, no separate press release or construction launch has been issued for a skyscraper-top venue like those seen in AI videos. As of late 2025, Saudi officials have not confirmed any new details beyond the bid documentation. The spectacular imagery circulating online remains fan-made speculation, visualizing the futuristic ambition of NEOM rather than depicting an approved architectural design. In other words, the NEOM Stadium is real, but the floating, city-top version trending online seems to not yet be part of its built reality. The official plan remains a conceptual proposal, awaiting further design development within the broader construction of THE LINE.
NEOM Stadium
King Salman International Stadium
Qiddiya Coast StadiumKing Fahad Sports City Stadium
King Fahad Sports City Stadium
New Murabba Stadium
King Khalid University Stadium
Aramco Stadium
South Riyadh Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium
Jeddah Central Development (JCD) Stadium
King Saud University Stadium
project info:
name: Sky Stadium
event: Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup 2034 bid | @saudi2034bid
The post is this what saudi arabia’s sky stadium for 2034 FIFA world cup will look like? appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.