How Saudi Arabia has become a major player in sport

In Saudi Arabia, many affluent individuals enjoy placing bets on sports. Interestingly, they prefer to do so discreetly. What's noteworthy is that among the top three most popular sportsbooks used by Saudis is an Indian Rajbet.com platform, renowned for its exchange platform. How this came to be is unknown; perhaps word of mouth played a role, but the fact remains a fact.
One of the most notable ways Saudi Arabia has boosted its sporting profile is by hosting major international competitions. In 2022, Jeddah hosted the heavyweight boxing title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua. Later that year, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix joined the Formula 1 calendar for the first time.
Other major events hosted by the kingdom include:
Dakar Rally (since 2020) Spanish Super Cup (since 2020) WWE Crown Jewel (since 2018) Saudi International golf tournament (since 2019)
By attracting these prestigious sporting events, Saudi Arabia gains global media exposure and positions itself as an attractive destination for sports tourism.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has acquired ownership stakes in major international sports teams and organizations. Some key investments include:
£300 million acquisition of Newcastle United Football Club (2021) £625 million investment in LIV Golf tournaments (2022) £5.1 billion proposed takeover of Manchester United FC (2022)
These investments enable Saudi Arabia to wield influence in global sports. Owning prominent teams also offers commercial opportunities, including merchandising, media rights, and sponsorship deals.
Saudi Arabia is pouring investment into domestic infrastructure and facilities to support its ambitions as a leading sporting nation. Here is what includes major projects.
New stadiums and sports facilities:
Prince Faisal Stadium in Riyadh (renovated in 2021) Green Oasis Stadium in Dammam (built in 2021) Boulevard Sports Complex in Jeddah (under construction)
Motorsport venues:
Jeddah and Qiddiya street circuits for Formula 1 Dakar Rally route traversing the Saudi desert
Golf courses:
16 new golf courses to boost golf tourism, including the Aramco Series events for women
Developing state-of-the-art venues enables Saudi Arabia to attract and host the biggest global sporting events. It also supports grassroots sports participation and athlete development. Sports participation targets
To get more Saudis participating in sports, the kingdom has set ambitious targets:
Increase regular sports participation from 13% of adults to 40% by 2030 Raise the number of community sports clubs from around 300 to 2,000 Host more than 600 international and continental sporting events by 2030
Meeting these targets will create a culture of mass participation and help nurture Saudi athletic talent.
Saudi Arabia's higher sporting profile has translated into some landmark achievements, including: First Saudi F1 driver, Amin Al-Qubaisi (Aramco Racing Team, 2022) Saudi Arabia's first Formula E race winner, Abdulaziz Al-Faisal (2022) Two Saudi players in the Spanish La Liga (Firas Al-Buraikan and Salem Al-Dawsari)
With its strategic investments and commitment to developing domestic sports, Saudi Arabia is now firmly embedded as a significant player in global sports. Local sports fans can also now enjoy world-class events on home soil by signing up with sportsbooks to catch all the latest action. The kingdom's sporting ambitions show no signs of slowing down as it continues leveraging sport to drive national development.
Currently, everything seems to be going great for the country's championship. With a plethora of stars, renowned coaches, and significant media attention from around the world, the stage is set for further exciting developments.
In a broader context, this Middle Eastern nation holds far more opportunities compared to countries like China. Despite China having approximately 18% of the world's GDP as of 2021, Saudi Arabia's oil exports place it in a leading position, ensuring substantial financial resources. Therefore, it has the potential to keep European leagues in suspense for many years.
The question is whether it will realize this potential in reality. The sensational team that defeated Argentina in the previous World Cup could host one of the upcoming editions, even though they declined to hold the event in 2030.
Local championship players exhibit a decent level of skill, but the game is primarily shaped by high-profile foreign players. The likes of Talisca, Ever Banega, Sebastian Giovinco, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo, have graced the league, and now players like N'Golo Kante, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Roberto Firmino, and Karim Benzema are set to showcase their prowess - a plethora of talents from various levels.
As we gear up for the new top-tier league in August, we eagerly follow the performance of our well-known stars in this fresh and unfamiliar league - a league where time stands still, and particles of the past are preserved.