Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup title, after defeating its traditional rival Real Madrid 5-2, at the Shining Jewel Stadium in Jeddah, in the final match.
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, known as the “Shining Jewel” in Saudi Arabia, witnessed one of the most exciting El Clasico matches in recent years, which Barcelona won to win its 15th title in the Spanish Super Cup, widening the gap with the royal team that has 13 titles.
During the past and upcoming days, the name “The Shining Jewel” has been present in the international media, especially since it hosts a match called “El Clasico”, as it is the most popular match at the team level in the world.
But why did Saudi Arabia name this stadium “The Shining Jewel”?
First, we must know that the Jewel Stadium is one of the components of King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia, and is located north of King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Saudi Aramco won the right to sponsor the project, and the construction contract was awarded to a Belgian contractor, BESIX, while the Saudi side was in charge of Al-Muhaidib Company, and the design of HPM Company was approved, and the cost of the Jewel Stadium amounted to 1.9 billion Saudi riyals (about 1 billion euros).
The construction of the Shining Jewel Stadium began in 2012, and was completed in April 2014, and was opened on May 1, 2014.
The opening ceremony was attended by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and was also attended by the Crown Prince at the time, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the Deputy Crown Prince at the time, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz.
The opening witnessed the final match of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup between Al-Ahli and Al-Shabab, and the match ended with Al-Shabab winning (3-0).
The stadium stands can accommodate more than 62 thousand spectators, and the golden platform of the Jewel Stadium provides special benefits for spectators, and the stadium contains hundreds of special seats for people with special needs and their companions.
The Shining Jewel Stadium bears this name because of its unique design that stands out in a striking way, as its external shape resembles a jewel that sparkles under the sun or lights, and the name becomes more clear with the presence of many lights and distinctive lighting on it from the outside.
