Saudi Arabia is deep into a building phase that feels unlike anything the kingdom has seen before, and stadiums sit right at the centre of it.
Just like the rest of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing construction projects, its stadiums are big, ambitious and closely tied to how the Kingdom wants to present itself over the next decade. The scale of this shift is evident in places that were, until quite recently, quiet stretches of land but are now transformed into bustling new districts with complete with training complexes, transport links, hotels and many rows of temporary site offices.
Whenever a project gets this large, the conversation quickly turns to people. Drawings and contracts matter, but skilled construction professionals decide whether a stadium reaches its handover date or slips behind. Leap29 has been supporting clients across Saudi Arabia for years by helping them secure the technical talent they need. Workforce management and RPO services have become essential tools because the Kingdom’s construction pace doesn’t leave much room for trial and error.
The 2034 FIFA World Cup
The main driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s surge in stadium development is the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Kingdom plans to deliver eleven completely new stadiums for the tournament within the next seven years, a pace that exceeds what most host nations have managed in recent tournaments. Alongside these new builds, another four existing venues are due for full redevelopment, creating one of the largest sports-infrastructure programmes seen in decades.
The tournament is expected to draw millions of tourists into the country. Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar and Abha are all set to host matches, which means each city will sit firmly under the global spotlight once the competition begins.
There’s also a proposal that has captured global attention: a stadium built 350 metres above ground within NEOM’s Line megastructure. If it goes ahead, it would be unlike anything currently in world sport and would push construction engineering in a new direction.
How Stadium Projects Are Changing the Landscape
These stadium builds shouldn’t be viewed as simply sports venues, since they bring with them the need for more infrastructure than some small cities. A single project can stretch across civil works, infrastructure, deep foundations, steel packages, MEP installation, façade systems, specialist interiors, testing and commissioning and all the subcontract layers that sit underneath. By the time a project is in full swing, hundreds of skilled workers, supervisors and engineers are moving across site each day.
That scale creates intense pressure on the talent market within the kingdom. Contractors often look for civil engineers at the same time as they try to hire planners, structural specialists, HSE teams, supervisors, QA inspectors, BIM technicians and tradespeople with experience on large infrastructure or heavy concrete projects. As more stadiums move forward in parallel, the competition for these skills tightens, and the more strain it puts on Saudi Arabia’s internal talent pools
The Construction Roles in High Demand
The most in-demand roles shift slightly from project to project, but a few patterns keep resurfacing. Skilled construction roles in high demand currently include:
- Civil engineers with a strong understanding of large public builds
- Structural engineers with stadium experience
- MEP engineers and supervisors for heavy plant, cooling and fire systems
- HSE professionals who can keep pace with fast activity on busy sites
- Quantity surveyors who can manage shifting packages
- Planners who understand the sequencing pressure on a venue build
- Quality-Assurance and Quality-Control engineers
- Site and construction managers
- Skilled trades across steelwork, formwork, concrete, mechanical installation and internal finishes
Why Workforce Planning Has Become a Priority
Handover dates on stadium projects aren’t often flexible – they tie into public programmes, events (like the 2034 FIFA World Cup) and fixed funding cycles. When a project slips because teams can’t secure enough skilled labour, the knock-on effects spread across the supply chain.
Leap29’s workforce management services help contractors steady that risk. We support clients through mobilisation, compliance, onboarding and the day-to-day coordination needed to move people into Saudi Arabia smoothly. Removing friction from that process means teams stay focused on delivery rather than paperwork.
How RPO Supports High-Pressure Hiring
During busy phases, internal recruitment teams often struggle to keep up. Stadium builds can generate dozens of openings each month – without a structured hiring system, the most important roles take too long to fill, and can leave you short-staffed at critical points of the project
RPO services give clients a dedicated recruiting function that can easily scale with volume. Leap29 works directly with your project leads, handling sourcing and running compliance checks to keep your hiring pipelines moving. We give contractors much-needed breathing room and usually lower costs at the same time, since they avoid the pitfalls that come with repeated emergency hiring drives.
RPO is especially useful for long builds where hiring needs change quickly, like stadiums. If a project shifts from civil works to steel erection or from MEP to testing and commissioning, the recruitment focus changes with it. A flexible RPO model allows teams to respond without losing momentum.
Why Contractors Choose Leap29 in Saudi Arabia
Many of the companies working in Saudi Arabia operate across borders, meaning they need a partner who can bridge local rules with international workforce expectations. Leap29 supports that gap with teams who understand the Kingdom’s labour requirements and the realities of running a construction site under pressure.
We don’t take a one-size approach. Each stadium has its own design quirks, contractor setup and programme stresses – our job is to keep talent flowing so project managers can stay ahead of their schedule.
The future of Saudi Arabia’s Stadium Construction
Over the next few years, stadium construction will continue to influence the wider labour market in Saudi Arabia. Each new build pulls in skilled engineers, supervisors, planners and site crews. The work looks to be steady and the demand for experienced people won’t ease up any time soon.
Leap29 is here to support companies as they scale. Our workforce management and RPO services help contractors access skilled construction talent and keep projects moving at the pace the Kingdom now expects.
If you want support hiring for Saudi Arabia or need help shaping a workforce plan for upcoming stadium projects, we can guide you through it.
