Expo 2030 Riyadh Company plans to begin construction on the key buildings, including the Saudi and Iconic Pavilions, in the third quarter of 2026, according to a media report.

The pace of contract awards will accelerate this year, including two infrastructure contracts, Murad AlSayed, Chief Delivery Officer of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, told Al Eqtisadiah, an Arabic daily.

Work on the pavilions of the participating countries will begin by the middle of the year, he added.

More than 1.5 million square metres (sqm) have been levelled so far, representing 25 percent of the total Expo site.

AlSayed said contracts have been awarded to four national companies for site preparation and infrastructure.

In November 2025, Saudi Real Estate Co. (Al Akaria) said one of its subsidiaries, Saudi Real Estate Infrastructure Company (Binyah), signed a framework agreement with Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC) to execute the early works for the Expo 2030 Riyadh project.

In July 2025, the US-headquartered global engineering and construction firm Bechtel was appointed as the project management consultant (PMC) for the Expo.

UK-based Buro Happold was named the lead design consultant for the detailed master plan and design of public realm, landscape, infrastructure and utilities for Expo 2030 Riyadh and its legacy in December 2025.

The expo's master plan covers an area of 6 million square meters north of Riyadh, near the upcoming King Salman International Airport.

Running from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031, Expo 2030 Riyadh will bring together 197 nations, 29 organisations, and more than 42 million visits across five distinct districts.  The event is projected to attract more than 40 million visits

Expo 2030 Riyadh Company is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund.

(Editing by Anoop Menon) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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