"Isn't That Dangerous?" Saudi Arabia to Invest $1.4 Billion in 'Sky Stadium' Taller Than the 63 Building

Construction of 350m-Tall "Sky Stadium" Draws Global Attention from Football Fans
Amid Controversy over Safety and Feasibility

As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, news has spread that the country will build the world's first "Sky Football Stadium," capturing the attention of football fans worldwide.

The image of the "Sky Football Stadium" to be built in Neom City, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. X

On October 29 (Korean time), international media outlets such as the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom and AS in Spain reported on a rendering of Saudi Arabia's ultra-high-rise stadium, which is spreading across social media platforms. Construction Week, a global architecture publication, speculated that the stadium would be located within "The Line," a linear city being built in Neom City, in the northwestern Saudi Arabian desert.

The stadium is planned to seat 46,000 spectators at the top of a skyscraper 350 meters above sea level, making it about 100 meters taller than the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul (249 meters). Nicknamed the "Sky Stadium," its design, which appears to host matches above the clouds, has even drawn comparisons to the "Eye of Sauron" from the film "The Lord of the Rings."

According to reports, the stadium will host matches from the group stage through the quarterfinals and will be powered by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion targeted for 2032, two years before the World Cup. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is expected to invest approximately 1 billion dollars (1.4 trillion won) in the project.

However, questions have been raised about the feasibility of such an ambitious design. On social media, critics have asked, "Who will guarantee the safety of passersby if the ball falls?" and called the project "a vanity undertaking by Saudi Arabia."

Additionally, the rendering has not been covered by major Saudi media outlets, nor has it been officially confirmed, leading to speculation that it may be an AI-generated composite image. However, since the Saudi World Cup Bid Committee stated to FIFA last year that the stadium would be "the most unique in the world, located 350 meters above ground," and mentioned plans to build a stadium at that elevation, it is possible that some of these concepts have been incorporated into the actual design.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 11 new stadiums out of a total of 15 for the World Cup. The King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, where the opening and final matches will be held, will have a capacity of 92,760 spectators. Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, nicknamed "Mr. Everything," Saudi Arabia is making the impossible possible, and there is growing interest in whether the country will create another historic moment in World Cup history.