SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • How Sports Are Making Saudi Arabia Look Better Than Ever

    This spotlight has also largely succeeded in redefining narratives of Saudi Arabia's reputation abroad in countries like the United States, where long-standing concerns over the nation's human rights situation have been substantially diluted as Riyadh bears the soft power fruits of its multibillion-dollar push to attract foreign fans, talent and events.

  • Saudi influence over gaming extends far beyond esports

    There’s the PIF’s numerous stakes in game publishers themselves, which include sizeable investments in behemoths such as Nintendo (8.26 percent), Electronic Arts (9.2 percent) and Koei Tecmo (6.6 percent), as well as complete ownership of smaller publishers such as mobile gaming publisher Scopely. Then there’s ESL/FACEIT Group, the prominent esports league operator that Savvy purchased for $1.5 billion in 2022. And that’s not to mention the multitude of smaller bets that the PIF has made in gaming, which range from a sponsorship of the annual Esports Awards to the backing of Rolling Stone’s new gaming vertical, which launched last month.

  • Top esports teams from the Gulf region prepare for an epic showdown in Riyadh

    Esports fans eagerly await the GCC League 2024 finals in Riyadh. Hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), this premier Middle Eastern tournament features top talent from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The competition began with 12 teams competing in Rocket League, a popular vehicular football game, and will culminate on June 27-28. Contestants will vie for a $150,000 prize pool, competing in both Rocket League and TEKKEN 8.

  • Why the esports industry is embracing Saudi Arabian investment

    “If you compare it to any other sports, all of them are heavily funded by governments across the world, from grassroots to pro sports, and people underestimate the involvement of government funding,” Reichert said. “And this is probably the first time that this has happened in esports on that scale, so it’s a good thing, actually — it’s not a bad thing whatsoever.”

  • Esports World Cup CEO: Saudi Arabia the perfect place for our first global event

    The Esports World Cup, set to take place in Riyadh, will feature a diverse line-up of games, including Street Fighter, Overwatch and League of Legends. With a prize pool of $60 million, it is expected to attract top talent from across the globe. The event will also feature a festival of gaming and esports activities, alongside conferences and side tournaments.

  • Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment ‘preferred bidder’ for ATP Masters 1000 event

    SURJ, the sports investment company launched by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) last August, is reportedly the frontrunner, though an agreement is yet to be reached with the ATP Tour on a venue or commercial terms. If a deal is reached, SURJ would be granted a licence for an ATP Masters 1000 event, which feature the top-ranked players on the tour. There are currently nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments played across cities including Miami, Madrid and Paris.

  • First Syrian jet in over a decade transports Muslim worshippers to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage

    For the first time in over a decade, 270 Syrians traveled on a direct flight early Tuesday from Damascus to Saudi Arabia for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, the Syrian Transportation Ministry said. The development is part of an ongoing thaw in relations between Damascus and Riyadh, which days ago appointed Saudi Arabia’s first ambassador to war-torn Syria since severing ties in 2012.

  • Saudi Arabia prepares to welcome thousands of gamers for Esports World Cup

    Saudi Arabia is getting set to put its stamp on the global gaming market this summer when it hosts the Esports World Cup over eight weeks in July and August. Boulevard Riyadh City will be the venue for the competition’s debut from July 4 to Aug. 25. More than 2,500 players are expected to compete for a $60 million prize pool, the largest in esports history.

  • Will Saudi Arabia’s sports investment trigger an athleisure boom?

    By 2030, the government aims to increase the ratio of individuals exercising at least once a week to 40 percent. With an expanding base of sports practitioners, the country’s sportswear and athleisure apparel market is set to boom. In 2022, the category generated $1.3 billion (SAR 4.9 billion) in sales, and by 2027, it is expected to reach $1.5 billion. Could Saudi Arabia be the next frontier for sportswear?

  • Saudi Esports Investment: $1.5 Billion Merger Finalized

    Rick Horrow breaks down the state of Esports after the $1.5 billion Saudi Arabian merger. This now includes college scholarships and an Esports World Cup.