The memorandum of understanding was signed on Monday, 24 August 2026, during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Paris. According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the project is expected to create 22,000 jobs.
During a visit to Saudi Arabia in 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discovered a shared love for the Japanese manga and anime franchise Dragon Ball Z. As the Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has been building the world’s first Dragon Ball Z theme park in Saudi Arabia since 2024, plans arose for a similar project in France.
EN DIRECT | Accords entre la France et l’Arabie saoudite, à l’occasion de la visite d’État du Prince héritier Mohammed ben Salmane. https://t.co/DSU4C3RY14
— Élysée (@Elysee) August 24, 2026
On Monday, 24 August 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron was finally able to take to X to make an “extraordinary” announcement: a €6 billion investment by Saudi Arabia in an entertainment complex in the town of Cergy-Pontoise near Paris. A total of three theme parks have been planned, one of which will probably be dedicated to Dragon Ball Z.
“You are aware of my interest in manga. You also know of my determination to attract investment to France that creates jobs and makes the most ambitious projects possible. Together with Saudi Arabia, we are making an unprecedented announcement. Three theme parks are to be built in Cergy-Pontoise. €6 billion in investment. 22,000 jobs created. Unprecedented since Disneyland Paris. A new global destination. Right here in France,” Macron wrote.
The agreement was part of a larger number of deals struck between France and Saudi Arabia during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Paris. A memorandum of understanding for the project was signed by French Economy Minister Roland Lescure and the chief executive of Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Qiddiya Investment Company’s recent interest in theme parks and other forms of entertainment is part of a wider push by Saudi Arabia to diversify its economy, steering away from the oil industry and focusing instead on other sectors.
“Thank you to Qiddiya and Saudi Arabia for their confidence in our country, our talent and our future. That is the very essence of Choose France: to seek out the most ambitious projects and make France the country where they become a reality. To create jobs. To promote France’s reputation. We haven’t finished surprising the world yet. I am very proud of this achievement,” Macron added.
While several potential locations have been put forward by France, the entertainment complex is set to be located on the grounds of Mirapolis, a former theme park that has been closed since 1991. Qiddiya reportedly favoured this exact location due to its proximity to both the French capital and Disneyland Paris.
Aside from the three parks, the site should include hotels, catering facilities, and housing for young workers and students. Moreover, some 50,000 square metres of green space will be dedicated to biodiversity. At the time of writing, no exact timeline has been shared yet regarding the project, but construction is expected to take several years.
