Developers have presented plans for a new €450 million football theme park in Portugal ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the country alongside Spain and Morocco, according to a report in Construction Briefing.
The “Viva Mundo” project will occupy approximately 800,000 square metres. The concept is to create a football-themed park structured into several functional zones. At the centre of the site will be “Football World”, described as the project’s main hub, with four themed sub-zones: “Centre Circle”, “Passion”, “Glory” and “Fantasy”, organised around a central lake.
Developer Zul Virani alongside JFA Group, which is leading the engineering, procurement, and construction of the €450 million (US$515.8 million), said the aim is to complete the project by 29 April 2030.
JFA said the destination in Santarém, 40 minutes from the capital Lisbon, would combine football, entertainment, culture, education, tourism, hospitality and urban development.
The site will feature a 4,000-seat arena for live concerts and performances, and an adjacent 300-room hotel.
Full design is expected to be completed by January 2027, with the construction licence granted by the end of February 2027. Subject to the normal licensing process and required approvals, construction work and procurement could start by February 2027. Specialist contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers are expected to be engaged from September 2026.
image: youtube/viva mundo