Saudi Arabia’s Pullback Spreads, From Neom to World Cup Stadiums

After telegraphing a more pragmatic stance on spending for months, Saudi Arabia is starting to make the tough decisions. In quick succession, the kingdom has ordered sweeping reviews at its most ambitious projects spread across Neom, Jeddah, and even Riyadh.

The week began with delays to the 2029 Asian Winter Games, a showpiece event central to the kingdom’s sporting ambition that was increasingly being hamstrung by the costs and logistics of building ski slopes in a desert. At the same time, officials have been considering overhauls at two other splashy projects — The Line, a pair of mirrored skyscrapers in Neom, and a cube called The Mukaab, planned to be big enough to fit 20 Empire State Buildings in the heart of Riyadh.