ROSHN Stadium
ROSHN Stadium was the south-west Riyadh entry in the bid book: a 46,000-seat new build from ROSHN Group, the Public Investment Fund's giant housing developer, designed as the sporting heart of its new communities in the capital's south-west.
In October 2026 it appeared on the reported cut list alongside New Murabba, NEOM, Qiddiya Coast and King Abdullah Economic City. As with those venues, officials did not comment — so its status is reported, not confirmed. This page keeps the record straight about what was planned and what changed.
A developer's stadium
ROSHN builds neighbourhoods at national scale, and the stadium followed the modern developer model: an arena as the anchor tenant of a new district, designed to give tens of thousands of future residents a landmark and a leisure destination from day one.
Designs published for the project showed a crystalline, shard-like exterior rising to about 46,000 seats, with the bowl arranged for football first and community sport around it. It was, on paper, one of the more architecturally distinctive of the mid-size venues.
Why it was vulnerable
Riyadh's problem was abundance. Eight bid stadiums in one city was always the plan's soft spot, and when the PIF reviewed costs, the capital's two most interchangeable mid-size projects — ROSHN and New Murabba — were the natural cuts. South Riyadh Stadium covers the south of the city; King Salman Park covers the north.
If the cut stands, nothing about the fan experience in Riyadh changes in any way a visitor would notice. The loss is to the district's own masterplan, where a stadium-sized gap will need a new idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ROSHN Stadium cancelled?
Semafor reported in October 2026 that it is among five stadiums to be dropped from the 2034 plan. Saudi authorities have not officially confirmed this, so we label it reported dropped.
Where was ROSHN Stadium going to be built?
In south-west Riyadh, as part of ROSHN Group's new residential communities in the capital.
How many seats did ROSHN Stadium have in the plan?
The bid book listed 46,000 seats.
Does dropping ROSHN Stadium affect Riyadh's World Cup?
Barely. Riyadh would still have six venues in the reported plan, including the opening/final stadium and the renovated national stadium.