France and Saudi Arabia have announced plans to build a Dragon Ball Z-themed amusement park northwest of Paris, in the Cergy-Pontoise area, at a cost of about $7 billion (€6 billion). The announcement came from the Élysée Palace following Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Paris. It will be the second Dragon Ball theme park in the world; a similar park is already under construction in Qiddiya City near Riyadh.
According to Reuters, as cited by both outlets, the idea for the park originated from a 2025 meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and the Saudi crown prince, during which the two discovered a shared enthusiasm for the Dragon Ball Z franchise. The project will be financed by Qiddiya, the Saudi entertainment and investment group also developing the Riyadh-area park, which is planned to include more than five rides, 30 attractions, a 230-foot statue of the character Shenron, hotels, and restaurants.
Macron celebrated the deal on social media, writing, "You know my passion for manga... You also know my determination to attract to France the investments that create jobs and make the most ambitious projects possible." He said the project would create 22,000 jobs and called it a development not seen "since Disneyland Paris," describing it as "a new global destination. Here, in France." He also thanked Qiddiya and Saudi Arabia, framing the deal as an example of his "Choose France" investment initiative. No opening date or construction timeline has been set, though officials say building will take several years. The park is one of three theme parks planned for the Cergy-Pontoise area.
Both outlets place the announcement in the context of Saudi Arabia's broader use of its sovereign wealth fund to expand influence in global sports, entertainment, and gaming, citing the country's creation of the LIV Golf league, its recent leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts, and past payments to comedians, including Dave Chappelle, to perform in Riyadh. Following the EA acquisition, many developers at the company are reportedly bracing for layoffs.
Polygon notes that critics view such investments as "sportswashing" intended to improve Saudi Arabia's international image amid ongoing human rights concerns, including the use of capital punishment for nonviolent offenses, torture of prisoners, restrictions on free speech, poor conditions for migrant laborers, anti-LGBTQ laws, and accusations—based on reported CIA findings—that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.