Acacia tree-inspired Riyadh digs design

Article posted by Coliseum, July 11^th, 2025

Image: New Murabba and PIF

The New Murabba Development Company (NMDC), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), appointed the construction engineering company Arup as the Lead Designer for the New Murabba Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The construction of the New Murabba Stadium is scheduled for completion by 2032 positioning it as one of the host venues for the FIFA World Cup 2034™.

‘argaam’ stated that this step follows the unveiling of the initial designs for the stadium in July 2024 which will have a seating capacity exceeding 45,000. The stadium is a key driver of the entertainment landscape within the New Murabba destination and reinforces its position as a global hub for sports and entertainment in Riyadh.

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)-based the New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) is a Saudi Arabian entity wholly-owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Chaired by the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It has been established to develop the New Murabba Project which aims to create the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh. This ambitious project, set to be completed by 2030, focuses on sustainability, innovation and creating a vibrant, walkable urban environment with a central iconic landmark known as ‘The Mukaab’.

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)-based the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. It is among the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world with total estimated assets of US$941 billion. It was created in 1971 for the purpose of investing funds on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia.

Image: New Murabba and PIF

The Arup Group Limited, trading as Arup, is a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in London that provides design, engineering, architecture, planning, and advisory services across every aspect of the built environment.

The New Murabba Stadium is a planned multipurpose stadium within the New Murabba Project, a real estate development, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is set to be a venue for the 2034 FIFA World Cup™ and has a proposed capacity to hold 46,010 spectators where it will host fixtures in the Group Stage and Round of 32.

The 2034 FIFA World Cup™ will be the 25^th FIFA World Cup™, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the Men’s national teams of the member associations of FIFA. In December 2024, Saudi Arabia was formally confirmed as the host nation by FIFA following an uncontested bidding process. It will be the third tournament hosted in Asia after Korea and Japan in 2002 and Qatar in 2022. Saudi Arabia will be the second host nation from the Arabian Peninsula in the space of 12 years. It will also be the first time the tournament will be hosted by a single nation since 2022.

‘argaam’ further stated that the NMDC said that Arup will provide a range of design services for the stadium along with operational consulting insights and workflow optimization methods to ensure the integration of the latest advanced technologies and best sustainability practices.

According to data available with Argaam the NMDC announced in July 2024 the design of the stadium located in Riyadh on a land area of 180,000 square meters.

The stadium is one of the core components of the New Murabba destination and its design is inspired by the Acacia tree, a natural symbol of Wadi Hanifa (seasonal river). The design blends modern architecture with elements of innovation and sustainability.

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