Executive Summary: The World's Most Ambitious Events Pipeline
Saudi Arabia has secured the world's two largest upcoming mega-events — Expo 2030 Riyadh and FIFA World Cup 2034 — while simultaneously building the Middle East's largest exhibition and conference infrastructure. The SCEGA reports 32% YoY exhibition capacity growth with 300,520 sqm of national exhibition space. The Mukaab was designed to house the world's largest indoor event venue. While superstructure construction was paused January 2026 per Reuters, the Kingdom's events infrastructure investment continues at historic pace, tracked by Vision 2030 AI.
Expo 2030 Riyadh: $7.8 Billion, 42 Million Visits
Expo 2030 Riyadh — awarded to Riyadh in November 2023 — will run from October 1, 2030 to March 31, 2031 across a 6 million sqm site. Capital expenditure is budgeted at $7.8 billion, with 42 million visits projected. As of February 2026, 1.5 million sqm (25%) of the site has been levelled, with building construction scheduled to begin Q3 2026.
Key delivery partners: Bechtel (Program Management Consultant), Buro Happold (Lead Design Consultant), and Nesma & Partners (utilities infrastructure package). The Expo site will become a permanent mixed-use district post-event, following the Dubai Expo 2020 model that generated $7.5 billion in post-event real estate value. McKinsey Global Institute estimates Expo 2030 will generate $30–40 billion in total economic impact for Saudi Arabia.
FIFA World Cup 2034: $20B+ Stadium Programme
Saudi Arabia will host the FIFA World Cup 2034 across 5 cities with 15 stadiums (11 new-build) and total infrastructure investment exceeding $20 billion. The flagship King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh — designed by Populous with structural engineering by Arup — will seat 92,760 with a 2029 completion target. Additional venues span Jeddah, Dammam, Al Khobar, and NEOM.
FIFA 2034 extends the infrastructure investment cycle beyond Expo 2030, providing sustained MICE demand through the mid-2030s. For events investors, the combination of permanent venues, global broadcasting rights, and 32-team tournament format (expanding to 48 teams in 2026 onwards) creates a multi-billion-dollar hospitality revenue opportunity.
LEAP 2025: The World's Largest Tech Conference
LEAP 2025 — Saudi Arabia's flagship technology conference — attracted 201,000+ visitors and 1,800 exhibitors, with attendees representing $22 trillion+ in assets under management. LEAP has grown into the world's most-attended technology conference, surpassing CES and MWC in visitor numbers. The conference anchors Riyadh's position as a global technology hub, with SDAIA and Ministry of Investment using the event to announce major policy initiatives.
Future Investment Initiative (FII): $50B+ Agreements
FII 9 (October 2025) generated $50 billion+ in investment agreements, bringing the cumulative total since FII's inception to $250 billion. Known as "Davos in the Desert," FII attracts sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and Fortune 500 CEOs. The conference is held at King Abdullah Financial District, whose 15.46km skyway holds a Guinness World Record as the world's longest connected walkway. KAFD hosts 140+ tenants including 75+ regional headquarters.
Exhibition Infrastructure: 300,520 sqm National Capacity
SCEGA reports Saudi Arabia's exhibition capacity grew 32% YoY to 300,520 sqm nationally. The Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center (RECC), the Jeddah Superdome, and the under-construction Riyadh International Convention Center anchor the national MICE infrastructure. For The Mukaab, the 2.6 million sqm internal space was designed to accommodate exhibition halls, convention facilities, and multi-purpose event spaces at a scale exceeding any existing venue globally.
The Mukaab as a Global Venue
The Mukaab was conceived as the world's largest enclosed event space — capable of hosting simultaneous conferences, exhibitions, concerts, and immersive experiences within a single 400-meter cube. While superstructure construction is paused, the New Murabba Development Company district's 45,000-seat multi-purpose stadium and surrounding convention infrastructure continue development. The district's 10,100 hotel rooms provide the accommodation capacity required for international mega-events.
Tourism and Events Convergence
The Saudi Tourism Authority strategy integrates events and tourism: 122 million visitors in 2025, generating ~$81 billion. Riyadh Season (20M visitors, SAR 6B revenue) demonstrates the flywheel between entertainment programming and tourist arrivals. The UN World Tourism Organization and World Travel & Tourism Council both rank Saudi Arabia among the world's fastest-growing tourism markets, with events infrastructure as a primary driver.
Investment Risk Factors
Key risks: Mukaab venue timeline uncertainty, competition from Dubai/Abu Dhabi for conferences, global recession impact on corporate travel budgets, and the challenge of building hospitality workforce at scale. Mitigants: non-negotiable Expo 2030 and FIFA 2034 deadlines creating guaranteed demand, PIF capital commitment, and existing proof points (LEAP 201K+ visitors, FII $50B+ agreements).
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia's MICE sector — anchored by Expo 2030 ($7.8B), FIFA 2034 ($20B+), LEAP (201K visitors), and FII ($250B cumulative) — is the world's fastest-growing events market. The Mukaab's venue potential remains the long-term anchor. Track via Vision 2030 AI, Expo 2030 Riyadh, and SCEGA.