Football Wonderland: This Country Plans Mega Theme Park for Next World Cup!

While the FIFA World Cup 2026 is currently underway across the Atlantic, various countries are already gearing up for the next big soccer tournament in four years. However, the focus here isn’t on constructing stadiums for the players but rather an entire theme park dedicated to soccer. This marks a global first: unlike Real Madrid World in Dubai, this park will be completely “neutral.” It won’t highlight any specific club but will celebrate the entire culture of soccer, from its history to its cultural impact worldwide. The official project website states, “No flags. No clubs. A space where the only identity that matters is the love of the game.”

The park will cover 80 hectares and feature 28 attractions, including roller coasters, water slides, and carousels, all themed around the iconic black and white soccer ball. There will also be a 300-room hotel to accommodate visitors.

The park itself will be divided into six thematic zones: a welcome area, a “heritage and retail” space designed like a soccer museum with shops, a global food court for dining, a large immersive Fan Zone for live match viewing, an entertainment area with a 4,000-seat arena, and finally the “Football World,” the central hub of the park celebrating the sport in its “purest form.” Built around a lake, this area will be further divided into four sub-zones: the “Center Circle,” where a giant FIFA trophy will be erected; the “Passion” zone, focused on water-based attractions; the “Glory” zone, envisioned as a “pantheon” of soccer heroes; and the “Fantasy” zone, tailored for young budding players.

The massive attraction park, named Viva Mundo – World of Football, will be located in Portugal. The project was announced and approved by the city council of Santarém, about an hour’s drive north of Lisbon, on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2027, with an opening planned for April 29, 2030, just weeks before the next World Cup kickoff, hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. This date is also symbolic as it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the first FIFA World Cup held in 1930.

Local media are already touting it as the “Disneyland of football,” which is expected to transform the entire region and create up to 1,000 direct jobs. Viva Mundo aims to attract 1 million visitors in its first year and about 1.5 million annually thereafter. In total, €450 million of private investment, from British and Portuguese funds, is committed to this monumental project, which aspires to become “the world’s premier football destination.”

The project has now entered its administrative phase. The selected site – Quinta de Santo António, provided by the parish of Marvila – is currently classified as a non-buildable rural area. Consequently, the Santarém municipality has officially initiated a change to its urban planning to facilitate infrastructure deployment. Meanwhile, promoters are working to secure the status of “Project of National Interest,” a crucial recognition to expedite the procedures of this massive construction. A real race against time is underway behind the scenes to transform the Santarém region and establish what is already being heralded as the new global temple of soccer culture.