France and Saudi Arabia Agree €6 Billion Dragon Ball Z Theme Park Near Paris
During Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit, the Élysée announced a manga-inspired amusement complex expected to create 22,000 jobs. The project grew out of Macron and bin Salman's shared interest in the Japanese franchise.
Paris1 min read
Last updated
Paris, August 24, 2026. France and Saudi Arabia have agreed to develop a €6 billion manga-themed amusement park complex near Paris, the Élysée Palace announced during the state visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The project, inspired by the Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z, will be built near Cergy-Pontoise northwest of the capital and is expected to create around 22,000 jobs. Saudi entertainment and investment group Qiddiya, part of the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, will finance the development.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the scale as comparable to Disneyland Paris. Advisers said the idea originated from a conversation between Macron and bin Salman about their shared enthusiasm for Dragon Ball Z during the French president's 2025 visit to Saudi Arabia.
The complex will include three theme parks and form part of Saudi Arabia's broader push to diversify its economy beyond oil and expand its presence in global leisure. No opening date has been set. Construction is expected to take several years, with the parks opening in stages.
Bin Salman is on a rare official trip abroad. He appeared alongside Macron at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris on Sunday and owns a château near the French capital. The visit also covers discussions on health, transport, energy and Middle East issues.
French officials presented the agreement as evidence that France remains attractive for large foreign investment. Key details of the sprawling site, including exact land arrangements and the mix of attractions, remain to be finalised.
The project sits within Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme, which has already launched major entertainment and tourism initiatives at home, including earlier plans for a Dragon Ball park near Riyadh. Extending that brand to Europe marks a further step in the kingdom's cultural and commercial outreach.
For France, the deal adds a major new leisure destination in the Paris region and signals continued high-level engagement with Riyadh across economic and strategic files.
