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AUTHORS TOBIAS SCHOENBERGSenior Partner ALIA SABALAPartner Saudi Arabia is embarking on an exciting journey to host the FIFAWorld CupTM2034, a milestone that marks the Kingdom's growing roleon the global stage. This ambition not only reflects the nation'sconfidence but also its readiness to deliver world-class infrastructurecapable of hosting millions of visitors. But the World Cup is just onepart of the story. Events such as the Riyadh Expo 2030 and the Asian ALEXANDRA ROMANOVAPrincipal A tough match for transportation While Saudi Arabia has already made substantial progress developing its infrastructure,hosting the World Cup will likely present specific challenges. By addressing these Scale and scope The FIFA World CupTMwill generate exceptional visitor volumes. According to FIFA,Qatar hosted more than one million international visitors in 2022. Given Saudi Arabia'slarger geography, expanding tourism infrastructure – the country hosted 27 million Timing The World Cup is set to kick off in 2034, giving Saudi Arabia roughly nine years toprepare. Given the scale of the tournament, this is a tight timeline for deliveringmajor transportation infrastructure, particularly airport expansions, intercity rail Coordination Coordinating transportation infrastructure across 15 stadiums spread across fivehost cities requires precise operational alignment. Key stakeholders – the Ministry ofTransport and Logistic Services (MoTLS), General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA),Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), World Cup Host Cities Authority (WCHA), regional Diverse customer groups Mega-events attract a wide variety of visitors, each with unique mobility needs,including local and international fans, teams, media representatives, event staff andalso "people of determination". Each group needs targeted transportation solutions. Sustainability Transportation sustainability presents a technical challenge: Most, if not all, newsystems should be electric to reduce environmental impact. This aligns with recentglobal examples. Paris 2024 aimed to cut its carbon footprint by 50 to 100 percent by Five challenges to tackle for seamless mobility SourceRoland Berger From Qatar to London: lessons learned Saudi Arabia can apply critical insights from previous mega-events: Qatar 2022 FIFA World CupTM Qatar managed 1.2 million visitors using integrated public transportation that includedthe 76 km Doha Metro (37 stations, 110 trains) and the 18 km Lusail Tram (25 stations).The event also featured micro-mobility solutions such as e-scooter rentals by local Tokyo 2020 Olympics Tokyo demonstrated electric public transportation integration while meeting London 2012 Olympics London managed more than two million visitors through a GBP 6.5 billion transportationinvestment, including 30 km of "Games Lanes" for Olympic traffic, 29 high-speed Successfully hosting the FIFA World CupTMand other future mega-events will requiremore than just expanding existing networks; it demands a precise, coordinated, Drawing on a clear understanding of FIFA's official transportation requirements and Comprehensive multi-modal planning To ensure smooth mobility during the FIFA World CupTMand beyond, Saudi Arabia willhave to develop an integrated multi-modal transportation system backed by "Delivering aseamless WorldCup is about morethan scale – Airports need to provide seamless links to key venues through high-speed rail, metroextensions and direct bus services. Rail and road networks will have to expand in During events, dedicated transportation corridors and priority lanes for shuttleservices and emergency vehicles will ideally be integrated into a detailed Traffic ALIA SABALAPartner International and intercity connectivity To accommodate millions of fans, direct international flights to host cities such asRiyadh, Jeddah and NEOM will need to be introduced. In parallel, air connectivitywithin the Kingdom will be necessary for fan mobility. Saudi Arabia can draw here onits well-established network of low-cost carriers, who could play a central role Smart, event-specific infrastructure The World Cup will require targeted infrastructure solutions that address the uniquedemands of the event while providing long-term benefits. Park-and-ride (P&R) Urban mobility through technology4 Technology will play a pivotal role in enhancing urban transit. Shared mobilityplatforms, including ride-hailing and vehicle-sharing apps, can help reduce reliance and bikes are available, their role in last-mile connectivity may be limited duringmajor events due to potential safety and crowd management concerns. Instead, Digital platforms should provide integrated journey planning, allowing users toseamlessly plan their trips within a single interface. These platforms can offerreal-time updates, suggest optimal routes based on current conditions and supportunified payment systems to simplify the user experience and facilitate public transit "Saudi Arabia'sfut