How Saudi Arabia is aiming to be home to the world’s biggest sporting events

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British biker Sam Sunderland and his team celebrate their victory after winning the Dakar Rally 2022, at the end of the last stage between Bisha and Jeddah on Jan. 14, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 21 August 2022
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How Saudi Arabia is aiming to be home to the world’s biggest sporting events

  • Usyk and Joshua’s heavyweight bout in Jeddah is only the latest in a long and exciting list
  • Kingdom has set its sights on the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, Asian Games and Asian Winter Games 

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s coastal city of Jeddah was buzzing with excitement yet again on Saturday ahead of one of the biggest boxing rematches in sporting history, between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk and British fighter Anthony Joshua. 

Such scenes of anticipation are increasingly familiar in Saudi Arabia, as more and more international sporting events are hosted by the Kingdom — a product of the country’s wide-ranging social and economic transformation plan, Vision 2030.




Football match between Saudi Arabia and Australia, part of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Asian Qualifiers, in Jeddah on March 29, 2022. (Photo by AFP)

Last September, Usyk shocked the boxing world when he outclassed Joshua in the first bout, claiming his fourth heavyweight title. Owing to the war in Ukraine, their planned rematch could not take place in the champion’s home country. 

Instead the bout, titled “Rage on the Red Sea,” came to Jeddah.




Oleksandr Usyk, left, and Anthony Joshua ahead of their rematch in Jeddah on Aug. 20, 2022. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)

One of the goals of Vision 2030, launched in 2016, was to establish the Kingdom as a regional hub for world-class professional sporting events that would generate jobs for Saudi citizens and enhance overall quality of life. 

Today, sports are taking center stage in the Kingdom’s diversification drive to move the economy away from hydrocarbons and to embrace a whole host of flourishing cultural, entrepreneurial and high-tech industries.

In just a few short years, Saudi Arabia has moved to the forefront, hosting some of the biggest sporting events in the world, providing an additional boost for tourism, hospitality, leisure, and employment, while also strengthening national identity.




Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) attends the launch of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Diriyah, Riyadh, on Nov. 22, 2019 (Saudi Royal Palace photo/ File)

Tourism is one area Saudi Arabia is especially eager to promote with the launch of its Saudi e-visa in 2018. The Kingdom expects to have hosted 100 million tourists by 2030, drawn by a mixture of new luxury resorts and a packed entertainment calendar.

Hosting major sporting events has created new opportunities for partnerships, investments, and sponsorships at every stage in the value chain, while also demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s diversity, inclusivity, and economic potential to a broader international audience.




Toyota's Saudi driver Yazeed Al Rajhi and British co-driver Michael Orr compete during Stage 11 of the Dakar 2022 around Bisha on Jan. 13, 2022. (AFP)

From the silky smooth tarmac of the Formula E track to the epic routes of the Dakar desert race, and the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City to the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, the Kingdom’s sports entertainment infrastructure has improved leaps and bounds.

Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 Asian Games is further proof of the sector’s long-term strategic trajectory — one that is bound up in its overall national development.

In 2018, the Kingdom witnessed a flurry of major sporting events, tournaments, and championships. That year, Britain’s Callum Smith beat compatriot George Groves in Jeddah to win the WBA super-middleweight title and the World Boxing Super Series crown. 

The 2018 Ad Diriyah E-Prix was also one for the books, as the championship was staged in the historic town of Diriyah, the capital of the first Saudi state.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has hosted the Supercoppa Italiana, the expanded Supercopa de Espana, golf’s Saudi International and the $20 million Saudi Cup — the world’s richest horse race. 




Jockey Wigberto Ramos with Emblem Road celebrates after winning the 1800M race Group 1 of the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Feb. 26, 2022. (AFP file)

It has also hosted the Saudi International Championship for Parachuting, the “Clash on the Dunes” between Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., the Diriyah Tennis Cup, and the Battle of the Champions BMX and skateboarding tournament, to name just a few. 

Although Saudi Arabia’s entertainment revolution suffered setbacks in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with events suspended, venues closed, and international travel barred for several months, the entertainment calendar soon returned with a bang.

In 2021, the Kingdom inaugurated its crowning glory — the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — firmly establishing itself as a leading venue for international sports events.




Drivers compete during the 2022 Saudi Arabia Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 27, 2022. (AFP)

Built in just eight months, the high-speed circuit on Jeddah’s seafront became the fastest F1 track to have ever been constructed.

The Kingdom has now set its sights on hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026 and the Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia’s planned megacity of NEOM in 2029.




A view of NEOM’s Trojena, a mountain destination in the northwestern Saudi province of Tabuk, which is will soon offer year-round outdoor skiing and adventure sports. (Supplied)

A recent Ernst & Young report found that the value of the sporting events industry in Saudi Arabia is growing 8 percent annually, rising from $2.1 billion in 2018 to an estimated $3.3 billion by 2024. 

The contribution of sport to national GDP grew from $2.4 billion in 2016 to $6.9 billion in 2019 as the number of international events in Saudi Arabia doubled from nine in 2018 to 19 in 2019. 

Of course, the economic dividends are not the only signals of success. The Kingdom’s young athletes have clocked up significant victories, which the whole nation can rightly feel proud of.

Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Tarek Hamdi won silver in karate at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Then, earlier this year, Fayik Abdi became the first Saudi to participate in the Winter Olympics, held in Beijing.




Alpine skier Fayik Abdi became the first ever Saudi to participate at the Winter Olympics. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Having performed well in its fifth FIFA World Cup appearance in Russia in 2018, the Saudi national team qualified for the this winter’s finals in March this year.

Another positive knock-on effect of the growth of sports entertainment has been a general uptake in health and fitness activities among the Saudi population. 

A new survey by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics has revealed that 48.2 percent of people across the country now practice physical and sporting activities for at least 30 minutes a week. 




Women take part in a cross fit class at a gym in Jeddah. (AFP file photo)

This demonstrates a key milestone in creating a healthy, vibrant society in line with Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Objectives. 

Another pillar of the Vision 2030 reform agenda has been to transform the role of women. Saudi Arabia has developed several strategies to include women in sports, including the establishment of a 24-team Women’s Football League in 2020 and the launch of the first Women’s Regional Football League the following year. 




The Saudi women national football team has received a boost with the appointment of veteran German coach Monika Staab as trainer-coach. (Supplied)

Indeed, according to the Saudi Ministry of Sports, female participation in sports has increased by almost 150 percent since 2015. 

“By participating in athletic events, women achieve so much more,” Hala Al-Hamrani, founder of the first female boxing gym in Saudi Arabia, told Arab News. “Tonight’s boxing event is a big deal, but I’m going mainly to watch the first two female undercards in Saudi Arabia.”

On said undercard, a major moment for women’s boxing will see Somali-British prospect Ramla Ali become the first female boxer to feature in an official international event in Saudi Arabia, clashing with Crystal Garcia Nova over an eight-round super-bantamweight contest.




Government support for combat sports has encouraged many women in the Kingdom to train in martial arts. (Supplied/File)

“I think that is a huge step forward because it’s sending a message to the public that the government supports women competing in combat sports, which will in return allow families that were once reluctant to allow their girls to join in classes or different martial arts competitions to reconsider their position,” said Al-Hamrani. 

Such events “help dissipate the idea that women shouldn’t box,” she added. 

“The undercard and the government’s support is a big deal, showing that women’s involvement in the sport in any way is no longer taboo.” 

 

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Klopp ‘heartbroken’ by Diogo Jota’s death

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Klopp ‘heartbroken’ by Diogo Jota’s death

“This is a moment where I struggle!” Klopp posted on Instagram
“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre”

MUNICH: Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was “heartbroken” to learn Diogo Jota, who he signed in 2020, had died with his younger brother Andre in a car crash on Thursday.

Diogo Jota, 28, died alongside Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames.

Klopp, who is Red Bull’s “head of global soccer,” persuaded the Liverpool board to pay £45 million ($62 million) for Diogo Jota after he impressed at Wolves.

“This is a moment where I struggle!” Klopp posted on Instagram.

“There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it! I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre.

“Diogo was a not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father!

“We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace — Love.”

Diogo Jota was labelled an “exceptional player, exceptional boy,” by Klopp early on in the player’s spell at Liverpool.

Jota took little time to deliver some return on Liverpool’s investment, becoming the first player in the club’s history to score in his first four home games.

He was a key part of Klopp’s side that won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22, narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League for what would have been an unprecedented quadruple.

Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

Updated 03 July 2025
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Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

  • Arab News looks at possible ways that Al-Hilal can upset the odds to reach and possibly win the FIFA Club World Cup final

RIYADH: Al-Hilal are the talk of the football world after their sensational 4-3 win over Manchester City in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Ahead of their quarterfinal against Brazil’s Fluminense on Friday, Arab News asked three experts on Saudi Arabia football how Al-Hilal can continue to upset the odds and potentially reach and win the final.

  • Roel Coumans - Former Saudi Arabia national team assistant, head coach of Abha, Al-Hazm, Al-Adalah

“If Al-Hilal are in any European competition then they would be in the top four and there is no doubt that when Fluminense look at the Hilal team, they will not be underestimating them.

“In football everything is possible and Hilal can go all the way. I always tell my players to dream big, this is what football is all about.

“But it is important that Hilal don’t look forward too much, the next match is always the important one. There is a chance that after City the players may underestimate Fluminense and that is not possible at this level.

“They should involve the Brazilian players who can tell them about Fluminense.

“The game will be totally different to the City game. In that, they were the underdog and you have to defend much more than against Fluminense.

“When I look at Inzaghi’s tactics, he is always trying to play in a compact 4-5-1 formation and he will ensure that the system is not too different.

“There is a danger in that South America football is more physical and that may be something that the players are not used to.

“But now there is a good vibe around Al-Hilal. If Al-Dawsari can return that will be great as he adds creativity.”

  • Paul Williams - Founder and host of The Asian Game podcast, football journalist

“Al-Hilal’s path to the Club World Cup final has certainly opened up after their stunning upset win over Manchester City. It was a landmark moment, not just for the club but for Saudi football.

“While the challenge on paper might look easier against Fluminense, it’s likely to be anything but.

“One has to consider the context and circumstances of the victory against Manchester City, which was achieved without three of their starting XI, who will all be absent again against Fluminense.

“Not to mention the physical and emotional toll that the 120 minutes in Orlando would have taken. But having slayed the Premier League giant, they’ll attack that game with a renewed sense of vigor.

“Should they get through, then a likely semifinal against Chelsea awaits, although one can never discount Palmeiras. But having beaten one Premier League giant already this tournament, facing Chelsea would hold no fears for them.

“And then it would likely be Real Madrid or PSG in the final, and having already gone toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the opening game, and even shading that game for large parts, that is another that would hold no fear for Al-Hilal.

“Of course, as fun as it is to speculate, it’s all still hypothetical and Al-Hilal cannot allow itself to think any further than Fluminense this week. Having dispensed of Inter Milan, they have shown they also should not be taken lightly.

“But after defeating the might of Manchester City, Al-Hilal will now believe anything is possible.”

  • John Duerden - Asia and Middle East football writer and analyst

“While it is premature to talk of the draw opening up for Al-Hilal, there is no doubt that the road to the final looks rockier on the other side.

“The biggest challenge may be coming back down to Earth after the win against Manchester City.

“Coach Inzaghi talked of how his team climbed Everest without oxygen against the European powerhouse, and while those words were perfect, the message has to now change.

“The summit is within sight but is still some distance away.

“Hilal are the talk of the football world, and that is a unique position for an Asian club to be in. Maybe now the pressure is off, the tournament will always be remembered as a success, whatever happens.

“Or maybe it will be hard, both physically (after 120 grueling minutes in the heat) and mentally, to recover from the last game.

“And, Fluminense will now be very wary, if they weren’t before. Inzaghi was happy to let City have most of the ball and City were happy to have it. Hilal were hugely impressive on the counter, but Fluminense are not likely to make the same mistakes that City did defensively.

“Korea’s Ulsan gave the Brazilian(s) many problems but couldn’t kill the game when they were ahead and eventually paid the price. Taking chances will be key.

“If Salem Al-Dawsari plays, then he could be the difference, though Hilal would love to have the physical presence of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

“A win means the last four and there is nobody to fear. If it is Chelsea in the semifinal then the London team are awkward opponents and able to pull off results when needed but they are a level below the elite of Europe.

“And that is Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern. Surely one of those will make the final.

“Hilal have impressed but would, rightly, be clear underdogs. Hilal are not expected to win but they have shown that they are capable of doing so.

“First though, that cliche has to be repeated all around the training ground over the next day or two ‘one game at a time.’”


Rashid Khan’s star continues to shine

Updated 03 July 2025
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Rashid Khan’s star continues to shine

  • The 26-year-old bowler’s meteoric rise to prominence has contributed to outstanding performances by the Afghan national men’s team

Rashid Khan is a cricketing superstar who will play for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred this summer. Before joining the team, he added brand ambassadorship to his cricketing prowess — on July 3 in Dubai, he was revealed as the face of leading real estate company, MH Developers.

This exemplifies the opportunities for sponsorship and brand endorsement now available to top cricketers and is a far cry from some 70 years ago when the best they could hope for was their signature on the face of a bat.  

Khan’s cricketing rise to prominence has been meteoric and has contributed to outstanding performances by the Afghan national men’s team, which included reaching the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final.

This is even more remarkable given that the team is effectively in exile. At least it gets to play, unlike the women’s team; most of those players fled the country in fear of their lives and many are now in Australia, desperate to play cricket. They have lobbied the International Cricket Council about their plight, but the ICC, along with much of the international cricketing community, has been tight-lipped about expressing support or making proposals to alleviate the situation.

Their male counterparts have been more fortunate. A contributory factor has been the UAE, with Khan quick to recognize that it “has been like a spiritual home for Afghan cricket for many years, providing a safe haven and platform amid the challenges back home.”

Hence, the collaboration with MH Developers holds tremendous significance for him personally and professionally, having experienced an itinerant lifestyle shuttling between the eastern border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

In the early 2000s, Khan’s family, which owned a tire business, left war-torn Afghanistan for Pakistan. Rashid was the sixth of 11 brothers and competed with them in tape-ball cricket — a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape — which is played on concrete strips in corridors. In order to achieve greater zip off the surface, he developed his characteristic fast-arm action and ability to flip the ball out of his fingers to spin and flight his leg breaks sharply.

This, coupled with his batting abilities, marked him out to experienced observers, including coaches at the Islamia College in Peshawar where he studied computer science until 2013. When the Afghan team toured Pakistan in 2014 he performed outstandingly in Peshawar. It was on Dec. 7, 2016, that he made his debut for Afghanistan against the England Lions in Abu Dhabi, taking 4 for 48 and 8 for 74, along with 25 not out and 52, a rich return for one so young. The path was set.

Currently, Khan captains Afghanistan’s T20 men’s team. He has also captained the Test and One Day International teams. In March 2018, aged 19 years and 165 days, he became the youngest player to captain an international side. Then in September 2019, aged 20 years and 350 days, he became the youngest person to captain a Test match team, leading Afghanistan against Bangladesh. He also played in Afghanistan's first Test match against India in June 2018.

Prior to that, in February 2018, he became the youngest player to top the ICC Player rankings for bowlers in ODIs. He immediately followed that by topping the ICC T20I bowler rankings, where he is currently number nine; he is also number five in the ODI bowler rankings and seventh in the ODI all-rounder rankings, having once been number one.

Along the way, he became the fastest and youngest bowler to take 100 wickets in ODIs, needing only 44 matches; the previous record was 52. In June 2018, he reached 50 wickets in T20Is in two years and 220 days, the fastest bowler to achieve this feat. This was followed in October 2021 when he became the fastest bowler in terms of matches, his 53rd, to claim 100 wickets in T20Is. Currently he has taken 161 T20I wickets, the second highest number, and is likely to regain top place.

It is therefore no surprise he has been in demand around the franchise circuit. His teams have included the Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Big Bash League, MI New York in the USA’s Major League Cricket, Quetta Gladiators and Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League, the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Barbados Tridents, for whom he took the first hat-trick in the history of the Caribbean Premier League. Khan did play in the only edition so far of the Afghanistan Premier League, in 2018. This was for Kabul Zwanan, who were beaten by Balkh Legends in the final at Sharjah. Despite this, Rashid Khan was the player of the tournament.

It is easy to forget that Khan is still only 26, having made his full international debut on Oct. 18, 2015, in an ODI match against Zimbabwe in the UAE. His T20I international debut followed a week later. He has crammed a lot of professional cricket into the past 10 years.

Khan, who graciously gave a “big thank you to Trent Rockets for the three seasons I spent at Trent Bridge,” says he is “really excited to be joining Oval Invincibles and calling the Kia Oval my home this August. It’s great to be joining the back-to-back champions; hopefully, I can contribute to more success this season.”

The first match at the Oval will be on Aug. 9 against the Manchester Originals. Khan’s move is also an indication of the reality of global franchises — he has played in New York for the Mumbai Indians, who now own 49 percent of the Invincibles.

Khan’s cricket career has been on a consistently upwards path. His brand ambassadorship coincides with a time when Dubai’s real estate market is witnessing a significant upward trend. First-half 2025 figures show a 15 percent year-on-year increase in average property prices and a 20 percent surge in transaction volumes. MH Developers is looking to engage with a wider audience and strengthen their foothold in this thriving market. The global sporting reputation of Rashid Khan, the focus, commitment and talent identified by his first coaches, will be an integral part of this strategy.

Rashid Khan’s legacy in international cricket is already assured but there should be more chapters for him to write.

After The Hundred, there is the prospect of the six-team Asia Cup. Since the recent hostilities between India and Pakistan, the tournament has been in doubt. There is now renewed optimism for it taking place, though the location is uncertain.

It was originally due to be hosted by India. Under new arrangements, whenever it is India or Pakistan’s turn to host the tournament, a neutral venue will be chosen. Afghanistan is a non-starter, which leaves Bangladesh, Sri Lanka — where the monsoon season is due — and the UAE.

If the latter is chosen, there could be some instant returns on Rashid Khan’s brand ambassadorship.


Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain

Updated 03 July 2025
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Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain

  • Spanish police confirmed the death of Diogo Jota and his brother

MADRID: Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, 28, died in a car crash near Zamora in northwestern Spain with his brother, the Portuguese Football Federation said on Thursday.

The regional fire department of Castile and Leon, where Zamora is located, said on its website a car crashed early on Thursday, shortly after midnight, and burst into flames, with two men, aged 28 and 26, found dead.

"We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day," the Portuguese Football Federation said in a statement.

Spanish police told Reuters they could not yet officially confirm the names of the deceased, but everything pointed to it being Jota and his brother. The Lamborghini they were travelling veered off the road, the spokesperson said.

The bodies have been taken to a forensics unit in nearby Zamora where autopsies will be performed, they said.

Jota, who got married on June 28, helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season and also won the FA Cup and League Cup with the Merseyside outfit.

Jota arrived at Anfield from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club in all competitions.

He also made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League. 


Diego Luna’s 2 goals lift US past Guatemala into Gold Cup final

Updated 03 July 2025
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Diego Luna’s 2 goals lift US past Guatemala into Gold Cup final

  • Luna, a 5-foot-8 Real Salt Lake midfielder, scored his first US goal on Sunday against Costa Rica and leads the team in goal contributions in 2025 with seven (three goals, four assists)
  • The US will play either Honduras or Mexico, who play later Thursday, on Sunday in Houston

ST. LOUIS, Missouri: Diego Luna scored twice in the first 15 minutes and the US men’s national team held on for a 2-1 victory over Guatemala in St. Louis on Wednesday to advance to the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Luna tallied in the fourth and 15th minutes before Olger Escobar made it 2-1 in the 80th minute.

American goalkeeper Matt Freese made four saves, including a diving stop at the left post on Joes Morales in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.

The US will play either Honduras or Mexico, who play later Thursday, on Sunday in Houston.

Luna, a 5-foot-8 Real Salt Lake midfielder, scored his first US goal on Sunday against Costa Rica and leads the team in goal contributions in 2025 with seven (three goals, four assists).

At this time a year ago, he was miffed that he was not selected for the US Olympic team for the Paris Games.

Now, he is a mainstay, at least for this iteration of a team that does not include most of the European-based players. Still, Luna appears to be playing his way onto the roster for the 2026 World Cup.

He opened the scoring with his quick reaction to rebound of a long shot by Luca de la Torre. Goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro fumbled the ball straight to Luna, who brought it down with his right foot before delivering a left-footed strike.

Luna silenced the pro-Guatemala even further with his laser from 22 yards after taking a pass from Malik Tillman.

The desperate Guatemalans dominated the rest of the half, outshooting the US 12-2 over the final 20 minutes.

Navarro was the story early in the second half as the US looked for a third goal. First, he parried a header by Patrick Agyemang in the 62nd minute, then two minutes later Agyemang broke free but couldn’t get the ball past the keeper.

The saves proved huge when Escobar dribbled to the top of the box and slipped a shot through several Americans.

This was the nations’ first-ever meeting in a Gold Cup knockout round and Guatemala’s first appearance in a Gold Cup semifinal since 1996.