Sports Boulevard

The Sports Boulevard Project is one of the four megaprojects in the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on March 19, 2019. It spans 135 km and includes safe, tree-lined paths for pedestrians, bicycles, and horses, in addition to a variety of sports facilities.

The Sports Boulevard Foundation is the supervising and responsible entity for the project, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sports Boulevard Foundation.

The Sports Boulevard project is located on Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road in Riyadh City, connecting Wadi Hanifah in the west of Riyadh and Wadi Al-Sulai in the east. The Sports Boulevard drives Riyadh City's transformation into a global destination that achieves the highest quality of life standards and elevates its rating to become the best city to live in worldwide.

The Sports Boulevard project comprises eight diverse and distinctive districts: Wadi Hanifah District, Arts District, Wadi Al-Yasen District, Entertainment District, Athletics District, Wadi Al-Sulai District, Eco District, and Sand Sports Park. In addition, it features a wide range of landmarks and centers catering to various segments of society, including commercial areas, service facilities, recreational spaces, theaters, and venues for cultural and artistic events.

The project includes 4.4 million mof green and open spaces, with more than 170,000 trees, and fifty locations for various sports, including the sports tower, as well as artistic landmarks across the area and many other sites. It also provides investment zones with a total area of 2.3 million m.

The Sports Boulevard project aims to achieve sustainability by transforming Riyadh City into one of the most livable cities in the world. This will be accomplished by reducing travel time between districts by 64.8 percent, using 100 percent treated irrigation water, increasing per capita green space by 62 percent, and improving air quality by capturing 3.6 million kg of emitted carbonates. The project will also enable Riyadh City’s residents and visitors to engage in sport through a variety of recreational, sport, cultural, and artistic facilities, in addition to attractive areas and advanced amenities along a pathway leading to better health.

On July 10, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Sports Boulevard Foundation, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, announced the approval of the designs for the Sports Tower. The tower will stand at a height of 130 m and cover an area of 84,000 m². It will feature a ninety-eight m climbing wall and a 250 m running track, accommodating thirty different sports. The design of the global sports tower draws inspiration from Salmani architecture, blending authenticity with modernity.

On February 26, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Sports Boulevard Foundation, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, announced the inauguration of the first phase of the Sports Boulevard project.

This phase includes five destinations: Wadi Hanifah, the Promenade, the section located between the intersection of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz I Road, the internal track of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, and the first phase of Sand Sports Park. At this stage, the project spans a total of eighty-three km, with an overall completion rate of 40 percent.

The completed Wadi Hanifah Destination extends 13.4 km, starting from the west of Riyadh City, from Al-Olab Dam in the north to Jeddah Road in the south, passing through the Diriyah Gate Project. It includes pedestrian, cycling, and equestrian paths, along with tree-lined areas, rest stops, and cyclist stations. It is connected to the Promenade Destination via the Cycling Bridge, one of the project's iconic landmarks. The bridge is located at the intersection of King Khalid Road and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road and features two independent lanes: a one-km pedestrian lane and a 771-m cycling lane. The bridge aims to promote safe and sustainable mobility, enabling visitors to travel seamlessly and securely from Diriyah to the Promenade Destination along Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road.

The completed Promenade Destination extends four km and is designed in accordance with the urban code standards of the Sports Boulevard, which are inspired by Salmani architecture principles. It features dedicated cycling lanes for both professionals and amateurs, cyclist rest stations, green spaces, water features, diverse recreational areas, children's playgrounds, retail outlets, and specialized centers for bicycle rental and accessories.

This section, located at the intersection of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz I Road, extends three hundred m and features the Art Tower, an artistic installation inspired by the high-voltage power towers that once lined Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road. The tower is adorned with colored geometric panels that allow sunlight to pass through, creating a striking landmark for visitors of the project and its destinations.

The internal (loop) track at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University spans twenty km and includes dedicated cycling lanes and a pedestrian path. It facilitates movement between the university’s facilities for its staff and visitors.

The Sand Sports Park, the fifth completed destination, is located southeast of King Khalid International Airport. It features cycling tracks for both professionals and amateurs, dedicated mountain biking trails, and equestrian paths.

At the heart of the park is the Najdi Rose, a distinctive design that integrates professional cycling tracks. The park includes forty-five km of cycling lanes and has undergone the rehabilitation of 350,000 mof sand dunes. It also features retail outlets and specialized centers for bicycle rentals and accessories.