As preparations continue for the 2034 World Cup, stadiums are built with more than just concrete. Specialized contracts are awarded to companies from around the world, each with a specific role. The latest contract has gone to a Chinese-Saudi alliance, which will build the glass façades of one of the Kingdom’s most prominent stadiums: Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya.

What happened?
The IKK-Fangda alliance signed a contract on October 18, 2026, worth around 1.15 billion riyals (about $306 million) to design, supply and install the glass façade systems at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya. The work is due to be completed in 863 days, or about two years and four months.
The contract covers two project packages: the first for the façades of the main stadium building, and the second for the façades of the museum and ancillary buildings.


Who are the parties to the contract?
The alliance consists of two parties:
Xihui International Holding: wholly owned by China’s Fangda Group, which is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and holds a 51% stake in the alliance.
Essam Kabbani & Partners for Building and Construction Materials: wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s IKK Group, and holds a 49% stake in the alliance.
The contract was awarded by the Uptown Stadium Construction alliance, the project’s general contractor, which includes Spain’s FCC and Saudi Arabia’s Nesma & Partners Contracting.
To clarify, the general contractor manages the entire project and subcontracts specialized work to specialist companies, such as façade or electromechanical systems contractors. For example, last September a subsidiary of Qatar’s Estithmar Holding won a contract worth 829 million riyals to carry out mechanical works at the same stadium, including air conditioning, ventilation and fire protection systems.


First: What are glass façades?
Technically known as a “curtain wall,” these are lightweight exterior façades made of glass and aluminum that are attached to a building’s structure without bearing its weight. They protect the building from the elements, let in natural light and give it a distinctive architectural character.
At Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, the façades will face harsh conditions, including high wind loads on the edge of the escarpment, sandstorms and high temperatures, requiring advanced engineering solutions and highly durable materials.


What makes Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium distinctive?
The stadium is located in Qiddiya, about 40 minutes from Riyadh, atop the Tuwaiq Mountain escarpment at an elevation of around 200 meters. It has about 47,000 seats for football matches, while its total capacity for events exceeds 60,000 people.
One of its most distinctive features is a movable roof, pitch and LED screen that operate as a single system, allowing the venue to be used year-round for football matches as well as entertainment and cultural events. It is expected to welcome around 7.6 million visitors annually and is scheduled to host matches during the 2034 World Cup.


Why does this contract matter?
For Saudi Arabia: The contract is part of preparations to host the 2034 World Cup and part of the Qiddiya projects, an entertainment, sports and cultural destination that is among the most prominent projects under Vision 2030.
For Fangda: The contract is worth 60.7% of the company’s audited operating revenue in 2025. The company expects it to have a positive impact on its financial performance in the coming years and to become a flagship project for it in the Middle East. However, its shares closed down 1.8% on the day the contract was announced.
For the partnership model: The alliance combines the Chinese partner’s technical expertise in façade manufacturing with the Saudi partner’s knowledge of the local market. Chinese involvement in Qiddiya is not limited to this contract: a Chinese contractor previously won a contract for Qiddiya’s Northwest Transport Center.


When the world’s attention turns to this stadium in 2034, its façades will be the first thing the cameras capture. But the real test for any stadium does not end with the final whistle; it begins afterward. Many stadiums built for major tournaments around the world have become underused, costly facilities once those tournaments ended, earning them a familiar name in the world of sport: “white elephants.” Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, by contrast, was designed to operate year-round, hosting more than 60 matches a year as well as entertainment and cultural events expected to attract 7.6 million visitors. A successful stadium is not measured by its opening night, but by what it delivers over the thousands of days that follow.