As Saudi Arabia Prepares to Host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the Company Reaffirms Its Commitment to Saudi Vision 2030
Riyadh – 1/5/2025 – With decades of experience in delivering smart, energy-efficient technologies to some of the world’s most iconic sports venues, Johnson Controls Arabia is poised to play a key role in enabling the future of Saudi Arabia’s sports industry. As the Kingdom accelerates its preparations to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the company participation in the 2025 World Stadiums and Arenas Summit, held from April 29th to April 30th at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh.
This strategic engagement comes at a defining moment for the Kingdom, which is experiencing an unprecedented surge in sustainable sports infrastructure projects, aligned with the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for mega sporting and entertainment events.
Dr. Mohanad AlShaikh, CEO of Johnson Controls Arabia, commented: “Participating in this prestigious summit aligns perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious vision to become a leader in the global sports industry. Our extensive experience in delivering cutting-edge, sustainable stadium solutions, including Johnson Controls work on the FIFA World Cup stadiums in Qatar, positions us uniquely to support the Kingdom’s transformative goals. By leveraging our advanced digital and manufacturing capabilities, we are committed to driving innovation and excellence in Saudi Arabia’s sports infrastructure.”
During the summit, Dr. AlShaikh delivered a keynote speech on Day 2, focusing on emerging trends in smart stadiums, energy optimization, and the role of digital twin technology in driving operational excellence and sustainability in sports facilities.
At booths 25 and 27, Johnson Controls Arabia showcased its latest innovations, including the OpenBlue platform—a suite of intelligent technologies designed to enhance venue management, elevate fan experiences through personalized digital engagement, and optimize energy efficiency. The company also presented its YORK cooling systems, proudly manufactured in Saudi Arabia and engineered to meet the demands of modern sports environments.
A highlight of Johnson Controls’ global expertise was its landmark contribution to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where it deployed a first-of-its-kind digital command center linking
all stadiums via a unified facility management platform. Built on OpenBlue and powered by Microsoft Azure, this solution integrated Digital Twin technology to provide real-time operational oversight, predictive maintenance, and optimized performance across all venues.
This groundbreaking initiative set a new standard for smart stadium operations and reflects Johnson Controls Arabia’s deep commitment to shaping the future of sports infrastructure in the Kingdom and beyond.
