Qiddiya stadium awards US$306m façade contract
A Saudi-Chinese joint venture has secured a US$306m façade contract for Qiddiya’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, advancing a major construction package at one of Saudi Arabia’s planned 2034 World Cup venues.
A joint venture between China Fangda Group and Saudi Arabia’s IKK Group has won a SAR1.15bn contract to design, supply and install façade systems at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya.The package covers the main stadium, museum and ancillary buildings, with delivery scheduled over 863 days as construction progresses on the proposed 2034 FIFA World Cup venue near Riyadh.China Fangda Group said: “This project is one of the world's major curtain wall projects.”The company added: “The successful execution of this project will establish a benchmark portfolio with international influence in the Middle East.”IKK Fangda JV is owned 51% by China Fangda Group’s Shihui International Holdings and 49% by Isam Kabbani & Partners, part of Saudi Arabia’s IKK Group.The contract was signed with Uptown Stadium Construction JV, the main contractor comprising Spain’s FCC Construcción and Saudi Arabia’s Nesma & Partners.The award is substantial relative to Fangda’s existing business, representing 60.7% of its audited operating revenue for 2025.The company expects successful delivery to support future financial performance, although revenue will be recognised according to construction progress and applicable accounting policies rather than entirely when the contract is signed.The façade must meet Saudi standards while withstanding high winds, sandstorms and extreme temperatures at the stadium’s cliff-top location.Designed by Populous, the venue sits on the edge of the Tuwaiq cliffs and is intended to combine football with concerts and other major entertainment events.Plans envisage more than 46,000 seats for football and capacity exceeding 60,900 for concerts and other large events, supporting a business model extending beyond matchdays.The wider development includes more than 50,000 square metres of retail, dining and entertainment space, with projected annual visits of 7.6 million.Those figures represent development forecasts rather than established attendance or commercial income.Planned features include a retractable roof and pitch, a large LED wall and climate-controlled facilities, adding technical requirements to a venue designed for multiple uses.The façade award follows a separate SAR829m mechanical package secured by Elegancia Arabia Trading in September.That contract covers heating, ventilation, firefighting and building-management systems, with completion scheduled for May 2030.Together, the packages demonstrate the scale of specialist procurement required alongside the stadium’s principal construction works.Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium forms part of the infrastructure outlined in Saudi Arabia’s official 2034 World Cup bid, which proposed 15 stadiums across five host cities, including 11 new builds.For the façade joint venture, the immediate task is to deliver the stadium envelope and associated buildings within the contracted programme while meeting the structural and environmental requirements of the Qiddiya site.