A joint venture between BESIX and AlBawani has officially broken ground on the Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar.
In an announcement over the weekend, BESIX announced construction of the stadium is underway and aims to be completed in time for the 2027 Asian Football Confederation Cup.
BESIX and AlBawani plan to complete the design and build project by 2026, describing the timeline as “challenging”.
BESIX also shared an overhead image showing construction progress on the site after six weeks of the first concrete pour (above).
The stadium, sponsored by Aramco and PIF-backed ROSHN Group, was officially revealed in mid-July, with further details released in Saudi Arabia’s official bid book for the 2034 FIFA World Cup nearly two weeks later. The bid book mentioned construction was already underway and that the project is on track for completion in 2026.
The venue has a capacity of around 45,000 and will be used for the AFC Asian Cup in 2027 in addition to the World Cup.
The exterior design features overlapping sails and waves that mimic the whirlpool phenomenon known as dawwam, which occurs off the coastline during the summer months.
The site will also include training facilities, and commercial and retail spaces, as well as general admission areas, VIP/VVIP hospitality sections, player accommodations, media facilities, parking, an energy centre that is expected to supply power and cooling, and extensive road and landscape developments.