If you think this World Cup's stadiums are spectacular, just wait until you see the plans for Saudi Arabia in 2034. Architecture giant Populous has designed stadiums in Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Monterrey, and Mexico City, as well as a state-of-the-art training base used by Argentina.
They designed the Fan Festival site in Kansas City, where their global headquarters are based, which is expected to attract 270,000 people during the tournament. It is free to enter and features a 65-foot heart-shaped gateway that is certain to become one of the most iconic images for fans. Populous is also well known for designing Tottenham's incredible stadium, regarded as one of the best in the world.
They were asked to draw up plans for Manchester United and were responsible for Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Beyond that, they designed stadiums in Johannesburg for 2010, Natal for the 2014 World Cup, and the Lusail Stadium in Qatar for 2022.
Future Stadiums
But the future is truly mind-blowing. They have designed the 115,000-capacity stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, for 2030 and the complete redesign of Benfica's Stadium of Light, which will be transformed in four years' time.
However, the stadiums for Saudi Arabia are their most ambitious and spectacular to date. The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium will hold 45,000 but will be built into a cliff side in Qiddiya City, with stands on three sides as one end provides spectacular views. The King Salman Stadium in Riyadh will hold 92,000 and is expected to stage the World Cup final in 2034. The Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar will hold 47,000 but looks different because the roof is made up of sails, will be in use all year round with shops, and is designed so that ventilation is natural.
Populous and Manchester United
Populous were asked to draw up plans for Manchester United. England are already scheduled to play in Boston, could play in Mexico City, and the stadiums have gone to another level this time. Bruce Miller, chief executive of Populous, said: "It's very special that we have the fan fest here in our city and the backdrop will be so iconic."
There has already been a lot of talk about Arsenal's stadium being redeveloped, with the club looking at different options to expand the capacity of a stadium that opened in 2006. And you only have to look at the design of Tottenham or the World Cup stadia to understand just how much things have changed in the past 20 years.
Populous will not confirm publicly they are working on Arsenal's plans, but Miller added: "Buildings and stadiums of that era need a refresh, and fans want to have a similar experience they see around the world."
