Saudi Arabia's futuristic city project The Line is set to begin vertical construction by the end of 2025, marking a crucial phase in the development of the NEOM mega-project, news outlet NEMNNA reported on January 29.

Neom is envisioned as a vast, eco-friendly urban development initiative, integral to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's (MbS) Vision 2030 to shift the Saudi economy away from oil dependency. The Line, powered by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), envisioned a unique linear city stretching approximately 170 kilometres across the Tabuk province desert, featuring two parallel, 500-metre-tall skyscrapers. However, current projections have adjusted the completion expectation to just 2.4 km of The Line by 2030 due to financial hurdles and general difficulties in building the project.

Denis Hickey, chief development officer at NEOM, outlined the plans during the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing a car-free, sustainable metropolis that will stretch 170 kilometres in length whilst maintaining a width of just 1.2 kilometres, according to NEMNNA.

"The LINE is more than a city; it's a paradigm shift in urban development," Hickey was quoted as saying at a NEOM Talks session.

"This master-planned city eliminates cars entirely, offering an exceptionally efficient transportation network that ensures seamless movement for residents."

Hickey, an Australian national, reiterated previous statements from senior executives and government officials that the project was not scaling back operations, despite earlier reports suggesting otherwise, NEMNNA said.

The development is designed to accommodate 9mn residents and will be powered entirely by renewable energy. The design, which draws inspiration from Manhattan's 1811 grid system, features primary decks positioned every 100 metres to serve as boulevards for traffic and infrastructure.

Comparing the project's scale to existing developments, Hickey noted that whilst Dubai's Burj Khalifa encompasses 300,000 square metres of gross floor area, the initial phase of The Line alone will span 20mn square metres.

NEMNNA also reported that Giles Pendelton, chief operating officer of The Line, recently shared updates about ongoing construction work, noting significant progress in excavation and marina development.

“Massive amount of excavation and piling ongoing with the marina getting deeper and wider. 2025 gearing up to be another big year on The Line,” he said on LinkedIn, batting away negative reports earlier saying the project was grinding to a halt.

Infrastructure development and foundation work are currently underway, with the vertical construction phase scheduled to commence before year-end, according to the report.

Earlier on January 27, Saudi Arabia announced that the Italian state investment agency SACE would contribute to the NEOM development.

The multi-currency, long-term financing agreement is backed by a consortium of nine global financial institutions, including HSBC, BBVA, Bank of China, Credit Agricole CIB, Agricultural Bank of China, Citibank, China Construction Bank, JP Morgan and Bank of America, according to the report.

The Line is expected to also play host to the 2034 World Cup, following Saudi Arabia winning the future tournament.

The successful bid, which garnered 419.8 out of 500 points, will see matches organised across five primary cities – Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha and NEOM – utilising 15 stadia, including 11 newly constructed venues, the agency said.

Earlier in April 2024, the country allegedly revised the length of The Line project, cutting the size down considerably.

Initially, the government aimed to house approximately 1.5mn residents in "The Line", a cutting-edge urban area within Neom, by 2030, which would squeeze people into a giant skyscraper initially stretching deep into the desert.