By Tobias Schoenberg, Alia Sabala and Alexandra Romanova

Saudi Arabia is embarking on an exciting journey to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, a milestone that marks the Kingdom’s growing role on the global stage. This ambition not only reflects the nation’s confidence but also its readiness to deliver world-class infrastructure capable of hosting millions of visitors. But the World Cup is just one part of the story. Events such as the Riyadh Expo 2030 and the Asian Winter Games 2029 will test Saudi Arabia’s ability to manage transportation at an unprecedented scale. By aligning efforts for these events, Saudi Arabia can create significant synergies in infrastructure development, ensuring that investments today serve multiple purposes tomorrow. A seamless, integrated and efficient transportation network ensures a world-class visitor experience, enabling smooth crowd movements and reliable mobility for millions of fans, athletes and stakeholders. So, how can the Kingdom build a smart, efficient transportation system that ensures a seamless experience for visitors and residents – on time?

Kicking off a new era in mobility

Successfully hosting the FIFA World Cup and other future mega-events will require more than just expanding existing networks; it demands a precise, coordinated, scalable and resilient transportation strategy tailored to event-scale operations. Drawing on a clear understanding of FIFA’s official transportation requirements and planning frameworks, we outline the key priorities that Saudi Arabia needs to address:

1. Comprehensive multi-modal planning
2. International and intercity connectivity
3. Smart, event-specific infrastructure
4. Urban mobility through technology

Explore our report on how Saudi Arabia can deliver a world-class transportation network for the 2034 FIFA World Cup and beyond. We examine the Kingdom’s readiness to host millions of visitors, outline the key mobility challenges ahead, and highlight the strategic priorities for government agencies, city planners, and private sector partners to ensure seamless, sustainable, and scalable transport solutions. The report also draws on lessons learned from past mega-event hosts - including Qatar, London, and Tokyo - to offer practical insights and international best practices that can guide Saudi Arabia’s path to success.

We would like to especially thank Ahmad Shoukeir for his exceptional contribution in writing this report.