An AI-generated video depicting a glowing football stadium built atop a skyscraper has gone viral on social media, with many users mistakenly believing it shows one of Saudi Arabia’s official venues for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The futuristic clip, which was shared widely across various platforms, led millions to assume it was an official Saudi project. However, authorities have clarified that the video has no connection to the kingdom’s actual World Cup plans.
While Saudi Arabia has unveiled designs for a football arena integrated into The Line—a real estate development within its ambitious NEOM megacity—the viral video bears no resemblance to the official concept.
“This design is completely fake and bears no resemblance to anything Saudi Arabia is planning. It appears in no official sources,” a source close to the matter told AFP.
Several French media outlets that initially reported the video as authentic have since corrected or removed their coverage.
AFP’s digital investigation team traced the viral clip to the Instagram account “hyporaultraworks”, which frequently posts AI-generated visuals of futuristic stadiums. The creator described the video as “an aerial flyby of a skyscraper stadium design.”
Speaking to AFP, the account holder confirmed they were behind the video, saying, “What started as a simple AI concept has taken on a life of its own — over 50 million views later, our ‘Sky Stadium’ design has gone global (and slightly off the rails).”
They added that the video was “purely an imaginative AI concept” and not inspired by any Saudi project.
Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, is currently investing heavily in sports and infrastructure as part of its Vision 2030 plan to transform the desert kingdom into a global hub for tourism, innovation, and major international events.
