Inside Qiddiya: The Bold Rise of Qiddiya Sports City for Play, Sport, and Spectacle

Qiddiya sports city is taking shape as a large, master-planned destination that brings entertainment, sports, and culture together. Qiddiya City is described as the world’s first global destination built entirely upon the “Power of Play.” It sits at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains and is located just 40 minutes from Riyadh. The development is also framed as Qiddiya Investment Company’s inaugural giga-initiative, built from scratch around play. The city is designed to host major sports competitions, festivals, concerts, and cultural events, with multiple precincts and anchor venues progressing in parallel.

A key early milestone was reached with Six Flags Qiddiya City. The theme park and entertainment destination celebrated its grand opening on Dec. 31, welcoming guests from across the Kingdom and the globe. Six Flags said this debut marked its first theme park designed and built outside North America. The park blends immersive entertainment with innovative technology across six themed lands. Alongside this opening, construction updates have also been reported across the wider Qiddiya Entertainment City pipeline, showing multiple assets moving forward at the same time.

In 2025 construction reporting, Qiddiya Investment Company cited milestones across several schemes in execution. Six Flags Qiddiya City was reported at 89% completion at that time. Aquarabia theme park was at 84%. Golf courses were at 77%. The development’s first bridge, spanning about 1 kilometer, was also reported as completed. These figures offer a snapshot of how different components have been advancing together, supporting the broader positioning of Qiddiya as one of Saudi Arabia’s official gigaprojects.

Sports, Esports, and Culture in One Destination

Sports is a core thread in the Qiddiya sports city story. Qiddiya City’s wider development has been described as including the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, a motorsports track, Six Flags Qiddiya, the Aquarabia theme park, and an e-sports arena. Separately, QIC started construction work in October 2024 on Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya City. A joint venture of FCC Construction and Nesma & Partners won a contract that covers building a multipurpose stadium on top of the 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliff, as well as the entertainment district of Qiddiya City.

Gaming and esports are also positioned as a major driver of visitation and business activity. Qiddiya City is building a gaming and esports district covering 183,100 square meters of arenas and facilities, with technology and platforms aimed at a broad audience. More than 30 leading video game companies are expected to make the district the site of their regional headquarters. The destination’s momentum aligns with future event ambitions too, as the International Olympic Committee has announced the first-ever Olympic Esports Games, slated to take place in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

Cultural infrastructure is developing alongside sport and play. Qiddiya Investment Company awarded an estimated $1.4bn construction contract to Nesma & Partners for the Qiddiya City Performing Arts Centre. The arts centre is described as Qiddiya City’s first cultural asset and is designed to inspire a new generation of Saudi talent and audiences. It will feature three theatres with a combined capacity of over 3,000 seats, plus a 500-seat suspended theatre and a cantilevered amphitheatre overlooking Qiddiya City’s lower plateau. Connectivity is also being planned at speed: Q-Express is set to operate at up to 250 kilometres an hour and reach Qiddiya in 30 minutes, linking key Riyadh nodes.