Saudi Arabia is embarking on a new project that defies belief. In addition to the 10,200-square-mile urban development, Neom, the country now has to finish 11 new soccer stadiums, expand four more, and build 132 training venues for 48 national teams before the World Cup kicks off in 2034.

To call it a big job is an understatement, and the icing on this construction cake will the building of Neom Stadium atop Neom’s The Line.

The stadium will be situated 350 meters above ground, on top of the tunnel of love that will allow full cruise ships to dock right into The Line. According to the plans, the soccer venue will cover part of the city and feature a seating capacity of 46,000. It will be surrounded by a constellation of facilities such as a fan festival site, training pitches, and five hotels distributed across the ”cityscraper.”

The construction of the Neom Stadium is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion expected by 2032. But many are questioning whether this will be possible at all looking at the many problems that are putting feasibility of The Line at risk. Initially planned to stretch 105 miles and accommodate 1.5 million residents, the plan was drastically scaled back due to lack of funding. Current plans reduce The Line to just 1.5 miles in length, aiming to house fewer than 300,000 residents by 2030. The cutbacks raise questions about the feasibility and practicality of the project, which is being fiercely defended by its promoters.

The Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid describes a building craze that will reportedly cost “hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.” In addition to the Neom Stadium, we will see the King Salman Stadium, another new venue perched on a 656-feet-high hill in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh. With a capacity of 92,000, it will host the opening and final matches. Also in Riyadh, the Roshn Stadium will accommodate 46,000 spectators, while New Murabba Stadium will host 45,000. That is three major soccer stadiums in the same city.

The 45,000-spectator Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium—MBS is reportedly behind the World Cup 2034 bid, same as Neom—will be in the city Qiddiya, featuring a retractable pitch and roof hold. Jeddah will see the construction of four new stadiums, with additional venues planned in Al Khobar, Abha, and other cities. Renovations are also planned for existing stadiums such as Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium and King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. This massive effort will be the “most expensive sports construction project ever undertaken,” according to The Times of London.

Insane ambition, questionable ethics

Needless to say, meeting the proposed deadlines will be a challenge, especially given the unique and complex designs of the new stadiums. All of the stadiums are allegedly the work of top architectural firms, who have yet to be disclosed. Exactly how Saudi Arabia will tackle this massive project is another concern.

On top of the litany of ethical issues, FIFA has been part of in recent years, this is perhaps why no architectural firm has publicly acknowledged its involvement in one of the most surreal build-out projects known to sports (contrary to some reports, a source can confirm that Danish studio BIG is not involved in the project).