AI-generated stadium video misleads millions about Saudi 2034 World Cup

A viral video claiming to show Saudi Arabia’s plans for a skyscraper-suspended football stadium for the 2034 FIFA World Cup has been confirmed as fake, after misleading more than 50 million online viewers. 

The short clip, which circulated widely on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, purported to show a massive, glass-fronted arena hovering hundreds of meters above ground level in a futuristic desert city. The video presented the structure as a “World Cup Sky Stadium” to be built as part of Saudi Arabia’s megacity Neom, giving the impression of an official announcement. 

However, the imagery was created entirely through artificial intelligence rendering, with no connection to any verified architectural or engineering project currently planned in the kingdom. The footage’s combination of realistic environmental detailing, aerial camera motion, and fictional branding convinced millions of users that the structure was real. 

Saudi Arabia, which has secured hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, is developing large-scale sports and tourism infrastructure under its Vision 2030 initiative, but no official plans or design submissions exist for any stadium resembling the viral “sky-suspended” concept. 

The hoax underscores how rapidly AI-generated visuals can spread and be mistaken for authentic architectural or governmental projects, especially in the context of high-profile global events.