NEOM 2026 Update: The Line Delayed, Stadium Shelved & Saudi Construction Spending Shifts
Saudi Giga-Projects 2026: NEOM Stadium Shelved, The Line Delayed — Where Construction Money Is Going Now Riyadh | October 5, 2026 Saudi Arabia is not abandoning its construction ambitions. But the way it is spending money is changing. The clearest sign arrived this week. A proposed 46,000-seat stadium inside NEOM's The Line , originally intended to become one of Saudi Arabia's venues for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, has been shelved indefinitely, according to Reuters, citing people familiar with the project. MEED Projects lists the stadium—estimated at about $2.5 billion—as on hold . Saudi authorities have not formally announced its cancellation. The development is the latest evidence that Saudi Arabia is moving away from the earlier idea of advancing every enormous Vision 2030 project at maximum speed at the same time. The Line is no longer considered a priority for delivery before 2030. Construction hiring growth has slowed sharply. Some NEOM budgets have reportedly been reduce...