King Saud University Stadium
King Saud University Stadium — known to Saudi Pro League fans as Al-Awwal Park, home of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr — is the western anchor of the Riyadh plan. Opened in 2015 on the university campus, it is a tidy, steep-sided modern bowl that the bid expands from roughly 25,000 seats to 46,319.
This is the stadium global fans have already seen most: Al-Nassr's home since 2020, host of Spanish and Italian super cups, and the backdrop to the Saudi Pro League's star era. The World Cup plan nearly doubles it.
The Al-Nassr years
When Al-Nassr signed Cristiano Ronaldo in late 2022, this stadium became one of the most-watched club grounds in Asia overnight. The university stadium, sponsored as Al-Awwal Park, has hosted the Riyadh Season Cup, European super cups and Saudi Pro League title races — all at a capacity in the mid-20,000s.
Expansion to 46,319 means major surgery: new tiers or a rebuilt upper deck, expanded hospitality and media facilities, and campus-scale crowd operations. The bid counts it as a renovation, which in practice means a familiar shell with a much bigger interior.
A campus stadium
King Saud University is the country's flagship university, and the stadium sits inside its grounds in western Riyadh, near the Diplomatic Quarter and the Wadi Hanifa green corridor. A World Cup venue on a campus brings a young, student-heavy crowd base right to the turnstiles.
It also brings constraints: academic neighbours, limited land, and event-day management that has to respect a working university. Tournament organisers handle this everywhere — think of university stadiums used at past World Cups — and the site's metro and road links are already proven by years of Al-Nassr match nights.
Match-day feel
Of Riyadh's venues this may be the most intense club-style atmosphere: compact footprint, stands close to the pitch, and a home crowd that knows how to make noise. Visiting fans who draw a game here will get Saudi football as its domestic audience experiences it.
The Diplomatic Quarter next door offers the calmest pre-match territory in the city — gardens, cafes and the wadi trails — before the noise starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is King Saud University Stadium the same as Al-Awwal Park?
Yes. Al-Awwal Park is the sponsored name of King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, home of Al-Nassr since 2020 and a 2034 World Cup venue.
How big will King Saud University Stadium be for the World Cup?
The bid book lists 46,319 seats after renovation — almost double its current capacity of roughly 25,000.
Where is King Saud University Stadium?
On the King Saud University campus in western Riyadh, near the Diplomatic Quarter and Wadi Hanifa.
Which team plays at King Saud University Stadium?
Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League. The stadium has also hosted Spanish and Italian super cup matches and Riyadh Season events.