Saudi Arabia has struck over 900 spoonsorship deals across diverse sports in a bid to expand it’s inflence in the international sports industry.
A report on sportspro.com indicated that the study mapped 910 sponsorships in different sports and 1,412 positions in 207 Saudi entities, noting that the kingdom has significantly expanded its web of sponsorships, partnerships and strategic investments in 2024.
Most of the sponsorships are with Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which inked deals with the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and soccer federation Concacaf, among others, over the last 12 months.
All told, PIF accounts for 346 sponsorships across sports, according to Play the Game. That amount surpasses the total number of sponsorships Play the Game’s researchers identified in its dataset from 2023.
Play the Game also noted that the last year has seen Saudi Arabia’s sporting ventures extend into the likes of tennis and snooker, as well as the Gulf state host its first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event and the inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup.
The research highlighted Riyadh Season as a tentpole event for the Middle Eastern nation’s sports strategy, with the six-month festival hosting several blockbuster boxing fights this year, including Tyson Fury versus Oleksandr Usyk and Artur Beterbiev versus Dmitry Bivol. Riyadh Season also staged WWE events, a UFC card and the ‘Six Kings Slam’ tennis exhibition.
Play the Game’s dataset also shone a light on the types of sport where Saudi Arabia has expanded its influence the most. The list shows that soccer, boxing, esports and golf are among the biggest benefactors of Saudi’s heavy spending. Motorsports and mixed martial arts (MMA) are close behind.
Saudi Arabia is due to be confirmed as host of the 2034 Fifa World Cup at Fifa Congress on 11th December, where it is the sole bidder. The nation was given a record score in a Fifa evaluation report published last week.
“Backed by billions of dollars and a rapidly expanding network of sponsorships, partnerships, and strategic investments, the kingdom’s ambitions have reshaped the sports world,” said Stanis Elsborg, head of Play the Game, who co-authored the report.
“This expansion, however, is not merely about elevating Saudi Arabia’s presence in sport – it is part of a meticulously crafted strategy to transform the kingdom’s global image and wield sport as a powerful instrument of geopolitical influence. Understanding this strategy is key to grasping what’s truly at stake.”
Below are a list of some prominent Saudi Arabis sports property.
- Event hostingSaudi Arabia has hosted events such as:
- Formula 1 races
- Boxing events
- Tennis competitions
- Handball matches
- Wrestling events
- The Italian and Spanish Super Cups
- The 2023 Club World Cup
- The 2034 FIFA World Cup
- Event sponsorshipSaudi Arabia sponsors events around the world, including:
- The WTA tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami
- The Aramco Team Series in Tampa
- The 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
- The Riyadh Season Noche UFC
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