The vote
On 28 November 2023, at the 173rd General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris, Riyadh was elected host of World Expo 2030. It took 119 votes in the first round, against 29 for Busan and 17 for Rome, clearing the required two-thirds majority.
On 17 June 2025 the BIE General Assembly approved Riyadh's registration dossier and handed the Expo flag to the Saudi delegation, opening formal preparations and the sending of invitations to participants.
Theme and site
The theme is "The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow", with three sub-themes: A Better Tomorrow, Climate Action and Prosperity for All. The Expo runs from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031.
The site covers six million square metres near King Khalid International Airport. Organisers expect more than 40 million visits and aim to bring together more than 195 nations.