Saudi Arabia aiming for £17bn sports sector valuation by 2030

Tuesday 08 April 2025 7:00 pm
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Tuesday 08 April 2025 5:48 pm

The world’s latest main sports activities participant Saudi Arabia goals to have a sports activities sector value $21bn (£16.5bn) by 2030.

It comes because the Gulf state confirmed the sector was presently value $8.5bn (£6.7bn) in 2025 having been value simply $1.3bn (£1bn) in 2016.

Everything of the UK’s sports activities sector contributes round £100bn to the financial system.

Saudi Arabia are set to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup, changing into the second Center Japanese host after Qatar, whereas they’re eyeing a bid for the Olympic Video games.

They might host the multi-sport occasion in 2036, however India are favourites for that specific Olympiad so 2040 appears extra possible.

The dominion has risen to prominence as a sports activities vacation spot metropolis with the likes of Riyadh Season – which primarily sees boxing happen within the nation – and Components 1.

Elsewhere the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane are enjoying within the Saudi Professional League, and the nation is dipping its toes into Crusing and E1 racing.

Saudi Arabia on the rise

“The Ministry of Funding is working in an built-in partnership with the Ministry of Sports activities, the Public Funding Fund, sports activities federations, and all related entities to allow buyers to enter the sports activities market with ease and transparency, based mostly on trendy laws,” assistant minister of funding Ibrahim Al-Mubarak mentioned on the Sports activities Funding Discussion board.

“That is achieved by way of initiatives [involving] the sports activities sector, which incorporates infrastructure corresponding to the development of stadiums [and] coaching complexes; sports activities companies corresponding to advertising, media, sponsorship, and consulting companies; sports activities applied sciences; and sports activities tourism, specialising within the growth of tourism applications and packages that entice guests to attend tournaments or follow sports activities within the kingdom.”

Saudi Arabia, by way of its quite a few personal and public corporations from the likes of airways to the Public Funding Fund, has over 900 sponsorship agreements and offers internationally of sport.