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  • Which sporting events is Saudi Arabia hosting in 2025?

    On the back of the busiest sporting year Saudi Arabia has ever had, punctuated by news of the nation’s successful 2034 FIFA World Cup bid, the 2025 calendar is looking equally packed with world-class competition. Kicking off with the Dakar Rally in January, the Kingdom will host many of the biggest names in sport over the next 12 months, welcoming the world’s leading athletes across a range of events. Al Arabiya English explores what sporting events will be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2025.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo Talks Life In Saudi Arabia, Growth Of Saudi Pro League

    Since Ronaldo's arrival in the SPL, the league has grown leaps and bounds. Players like Karim Benzema, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, and more are now in the SPL. Cristiano Ronaldo said about the growth: For me, it is an honour that the league is growing and many star players are coming to make the league even better and more competitive. To be the first one -- let's say a star -- to come here is an honour, but what I'm looking forward to is the next five to 10 years of the league still improving. Not only the first teams, but also the academies.

  • Iran FM says ties with Saudi Arabia are progressing despite gradual pace

    Speaking in an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Araghchi said that the newly restored Iranian-Saudi ties have a lot of potential that haven’t been exploited yet. The interview was conducted late last month in Beijing, but was aired on January 4. Araghchi added that the biggest achievement was reaching the decision to revive the relations that remained frozen for years, adding that both sides have benefited from the revival of ties.

  • Saudi Arabia sends first aid truck convoy to Syria

    Sixty trucks passed the Jaber Border Crossing in Jordan in the first Saudi aid convoy aimed at assisting the Syrian people. The operation is managed by Saudi aid agency KSrelief. The trucks are preparing to enter Syria, carrying essential supplies such as food, shelter and medical assistance to help alleviate the difficult conditions faced by the Syrian people. Also on Sunday, a sixth airlift relief plane to Syria, operated by KSrelief, arrived at Damascus International Airport, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

  • Saudi Arabia’s first ‘recycled road’ built in Al-Ahsa

    The project, a collaboration with Al-Ahsa municipality and the National Center for Waste Management, incorporated waste material into the asphalt layers of a road in the Al-Ahsa governorate, following research by the authority to assess the performance of asphalt and gravel layers made from aggregates sourced from the municipality’s environmental landfill. Using recycled material in infrastructure projects supports the Kingdom’s goal of transitioning to a circular economy. The target is a 60 percent recycling rate for such waste by 2035, which “highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental sustainability and efficient infrastructure development,” the SPA said.

  • Impact of taxation on tobacco products prices in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

    The 3 countries imposed more than 70% excise tax on tobacco products. Saudi Arabia, in addition, imposed the value added tax. This led to sharp price increases and less affordability in all the countries. In 2020, the affordability index in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries ranged from 1.3% in Kuwait to 3.8% in Saudi Arabia. However, affordability was still higher in these countries than in the rest of the world.

  • A review of sugar-sweetened beverages taxation in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

    Both countries implemented SSBs taxation consistently between 2015 and 2023, generating additional revenue and reducing obesity rates. The acceleration scenario estimates showed that SBB taxation could reduce overweight prevalence among children and adolescents (‎aged 5–19 years)‎ from 38.2% in 2020 to 34.4% in 2030 in Saudi Arabia and from 37.0% to 34.6% in United Arab Emirates, and could reduce obesity rate by approximately 12.7% in Saudi Arabia and 9.5% in United Arab Emirates in the same period.

  • More young footballers interested in Middle East move ahead of Saudi Arabia World Cup

    Birmingham-born Brad Young now lives and plays football in Saudi. The 21-year-old left the Welsh first tier to join Saudi Pro League (SPL) side Al-Orobah in September and said the league is among the world's top five. "All the big players are starting to come here," Brad told Sky News. "The league is growing and obviously it's good for me to get that learning experience off the experienced players." "These players are all experienced and they know their stuff like when you make runs off the back of defenders, they block you, they've got that experience. "So, you have to regroup and learn how to play against them. You've got to think smart and think better."

  • Saudi Arabia announces prequalified bidders for 2 GW/8 GWh battery storage tender

    The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has released a list of 33 prequalified bidders for its 2 GW/8 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) tender. The tender, structured as a build-own-operate model, attracted major international players including Masdar, ACWA Power, EDF, TotalEnergies, Jinko Power and more. Prominent companies from China, South Korea, and Japan also feature, including Samsung, the China Energy Overseas Investment Company, China Power Engineering Consulting Group International Engineering, and China Southern Power Grid International.

  • Saudi Arabia further extends tax amnesty initiative until 30 June 2025

    On 29 December 2024, Saudi Arabia's Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) announced the Minister of Finance's decision to extend the Cancellation of Fines and Exemption of Financial Penalties Initiative for taxpayers subject to all tax laws for six months until 30 June 2025. The initiative, previously extended from 1 January 2024 through 30 June 2024, and until 31 December 2024, has been further extended for another six months to continue to provide relief to taxpayers and businesses who meet the qualifying requirements. The ZATCA has published a Simplified Guide — Cancellation of Fines and Exemption of Financial Penalties to help taxpayers understand the details of the initiative.