King Fahd International Stadium

Background

The stadium was built in 1982 and opened in 1987, with Majed Abdullah scoring the first goal there. It hosted matches of the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship, including the final. The cost of construction was about 1.912 billion Saudi riyals or $510 million. The stadium's roof covers an area of 47,000 square feet and is held up by 24 columns arranged in a 247-metre diameter circle, creating an umbrella effect that shades spectators from the hot desert sun; a special pavilion for members of the royal family is also included. In September 2017, as part of Saudi Vision 2030, the 87th anniversary of the foundation of Saudi Arabia was celebrated there with concerts and performances, and for the first time women were allowed into the stadium.

The stadium's first major musical event was a BTS concert on 11 October 2019, the band's first in the Middle East, played to 31,899 people; it hosted WWE's Crown Jewel on 31 October 2019, all three matches of the 2022 Supercopa de España (won by Real Madrid, with the Barcelona–Real Madrid semi-final the first official Clásico held outside Spain), the 2023 Supercopa de España final won by Barcelona, and three days later the 2022 Supercoppa Italiana between AC Milan and Inter Milan. It will host eight matches of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, including the opening match and the final. Al Hilal currently plays its home games at Kingdom Arena, a multi-purpose stadium in Riyadh inaugurated in 2024 with a seating capacity of approximately 28,000.