Riyadh, Oct. 31 -- Saudi Arabia is preparing to invite 197 countries for Expo 2030 Riyadh, a landmark global event projected to attract around 42 million visitors.

The announcement was made by Talal Al-Marri, CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh, during the ninth Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in the Saudi capital.

Al-Marri revealed that the Expo site will span six million square metres, with construction on major facilities beginning before the end of this year. He confirmed that several projects will be completed ahead of schedule, underlining the Kingdom's commitment to hosting a world-class international exhibition.

"Riyadh's flagship developments such as Diriyah and Qiddiya will be ready to support the event. Expo 2030 will gath...