The World Cup, held in three countries—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—has concluded, setting attendance records with 104 matches after expanding the number of teams from 32 to 48. Over more than a month, the tournament garnered massive global viewership exceeding 6 billion people. Remarkably, the main host country, the United States, did not build any stadiums in preparation for the tournament, only making some adjustments to meet FIFA standards, as it already has advanced infrastructure and a large number of very high-capacity stadiums.

These stadiums are owned by the private sector, club owners in the US, or by cities that lease them to clubs, generating income from profitable investment due to the large sports activities in the US with a population nearing 400 million. This approach to stadium construction and ownership stems from the nature of the free American economy, but it represents a positive model when its benefits are considered. It constitutes a new investment activity and optimal use of land, avoiding repetition of traditional projects like markets and shopping malls on large plots. Additionally, if a municipality builds a stadium in a major city, it also generates revenue to support its services and is a beneficial investment diversifying the facilities that each city owns. Adopting this approach, with criteria set by the Ministry of Sports aligning with continental and international football federation requirements, would mean rapid completion with specifications surrounded by multiple services that would attract crowds as a form of day tourism.

The recent World Cup is a great opportunity to study the benefits of stadiums built by the private sector to apply in some of our major cities, whether through REITs, real estate funds, or companies interested in such investments. This would contribute to quickly building an appropriate number of stadiums in record time, especially after the launch of the sports project. This approach also keeps pace with the major transformation in the football industry and its economic and entertainment benefits, and can be utilized for the World Cup to be held in the Kingdom in 2034.

Saudi News

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