The King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, nicknamed the Shining Jewel or the Jewel, is a sports stadium in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a component of the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah Governorate. The stadium hosts major sports matches and events and is supervised by the Ministry of Sport. It is among the stadiums that will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup finals.
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium inauguration
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud inaugurated the stadium in 2014, with a capacity of up to sixty thousand seats and partially shaded bleachers. The stadium is located about three km from King Abdulaziz International Airport.
The stadium comprises six main levels. The first level is dedicated to maintenance operation management and player services, whereas the second level is devoted to stadium management, journalists' lounges, and ticket outlets. It is also an entrance to the Royal Lounge and the VIP Lounge. The third level is the main entrance for all fans to the stadium's stands and the rest of their assigned areas. The first match hosted at the stadium was the final of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Cup between al-Ahli FC of Jeddah and al-Shabab FC of Riyadh, ending with the latter’s victory and winning the tournament’s trophy.
Facilities surrounding the stadium
There are several facilities and installations around the stadium, notably the ten-thousand-seat indoor sports hall, the outdoor athletics track, five ground tennis courts, six auxiliary football pitches, luxury VIP halls and suites, 45,000 car parks, outdoor plazas, a mosque, restaurants, and gardens.
Uses of the stadium
Alongside football matches, the stadium is used for official celebrations and major sports and cultural contests, including hosting the WWE tournament and the Jeddah Open International Chess Championship. It is among the stadiums that will host the 2034 World Cup finals.
Supervising the construction of the stadium
Saudi Aramco oversaw the construction and design of the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, and the stadium derives its general design from the shape of a jewel. The design details are inspired by the historical legacy of Jeddah City, resembling mashrabiyas or al-rawashin, the old wooden windows used to decorate building facades in historical Jeddah and other cities.
In 2013, the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services began extending road networks inside and outside the King Abdullah Sports City, enabling ingress and egress from the stadium via several routes, such as the al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Road and al-Haramain Road. A total of fourteen concrete bridges were built leading to the stadium, in addition to four bridges over valleys.
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