RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has unveiled a major initiative to open up key sports venues to private sector investment, signaling a significant step forward in the Kingdom’s efforts to transform the industry.
Announced by the Ministry of Sport, the Sports Facilities Investment Project offers private investors access to three of the nation’s premier sports complexes: King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City in Jeddah, and King Abdulaziz Sports City in Makkah.
Under the initiative, a range of five-year renewable contracts will be made available, the Saudi Press Agency reported. These include naming rights, leasing arrangements for non-match day use, and contracts to manage, operate, and maintain the venues.
The move supports Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s national strategy to diversify its economy and position the country as a global destination for sports, tourism, and entertainment.
With the 2034 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the government is stepping up efforts to attract private capital into its burgeoning sports sector.
According to SPA, the initiative is part of “modern operational models that aim to raise facility efficiency, improve service quality, broaden commercial opportunities, and enhance the fan experience.”
Saudi Arabia’s sports industry is currently valued at $8 billion and is projected to grow to $22.4 billion by 2030, fueled by investments in sports clubs, academies, facilities, and equipment.
The government has already identified 20 high-priority investment opportunities within the sector, with a combined potential value of up to $20 billion.
Hosting the 2034 World Cup is expected to further accelerate this growth, with forecasts indicating over 10 million international visitors, 1.5 million new jobs, and an economic boost of $9 billion to $14 billion to the national GDP. The tournament will be staged across 15 stadiums in cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, and the futuristic city of NEOM.
Interested investors are encouraged to submit proposals via the government’s “Furas” investment portal during the designated application period.
Officials described the project as a strategic gateway into one of the Kingdom’s most dynamic and fast-growing industries.
FSB Sports Show Riyadh capitalizes on Saudi Arabia’s $2.7 billion sports infrastructure, fuelling growth for the Kingdom’s leisure and sports industry
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: In response to Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented investment in sports infrastructure, dmg events and Koelnmesse have partnered to bring FSB Sports Show Riyadh – a satellite event of the leading trade fair FSB (Cologne, Germany) to the Kingdom. The inaugural edition of the event will take place from 16 – 18 June 2025 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC), welcoming industry professionals to explore key trends, discover innovations, exchange ideas with industry partners and find the right solutions for their current projects displayed by more than 200 exhibitors.
Saudi Arabia is gearing up to host major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup 2034 and the Asian Winter Games in 2029. To support this, the Ministry of Sport, backed by the Saudi Royal Joint Ventures Foundation, has committed $2.7 billion towards building stadiums, leisure facilities and public spaces. This investment is part of the Kingdom’s broader goal to become a leading international sports hub. In line with these ambitions, FSB Sports Show Riyadh will launch as the Kingdom’s largest trade fair focused on the development of the sports and leisure sector and shaping the future of public spaces and urban living environments.
Advancing Saudi Arabia’s sports and leisure sectors
With Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is transforming its sports and leisure industries to align with its broader economic diversification goals. FSB Sports Show Riyadh highlights global innovations, supporting strategic partnerships, with a focus on sports infrastructure, leisure facilities and public spaces. As the Kingdom bids for major championships, the event will showcase advancements in stadium construction, accessibility, urban planning and sports technologies.
"Saudi Arabia’s sports sector is on an exciting journey, with a market value projected to grow from $8 billion today to $22.4 billion by 2030 (Source: SURJ Sports Investment). Major sports infrastructure projects and a surge in public and private sector investment power this growth,” said Muhammed Kazi, Senior Vice President – Construction, dmg events. “Our collaboration with Koelnmesse to launch FSB Sports Show Riyadh brings global expertise to this vibrant market, supporting the Kingdom’s 2030 ambitions and creating a launchpad for innovation and partnerships within the country’s booming sports industry."
The event is expected to attract strong interest from key players in the market. Some of the top exhibitors, including Yardex, Greenfields, Coastal Qatar, Gebal Group, City Playgrounds, among others, will highlight integrated solutions in stadium development, safety, urban greenery and more, offering public and private stakeholders a direct avenue to scale their contributions to the sector. Over 200 exhibitors from more than 25 countries, including Poland, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the UAE among others will showcase products from planning to asset delivery.
"Koelnmesse is honoured to partner with dmg events to bring FSB Sports Show Riyadh, aligning with the Kingdom’s long-term vision for urban living and public wellbeing. Our research shows that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goes far beyond major events like the FIFA World Cup 2034, it’s about sustainable investment in grassroots, school and public sports infrastructure to foster health and inspire the next generation," said Denis Steker, Senior Vice President International, Koelnmesse.
CPD-certified learning tailored for impact
Supporting the ongoing development of Saudi Arabia’s sports infrastructure ecosystem, FSB Sports Show Riyadh will host CPD-certified content programmes and Saudi Sports & Leisure Summit, designed to educate, inspire and elevate industry professionals across the sports and leisure landscape.
Attendees can expect curated sessions led by regional and international experts, including economists, investment strategists and more, exploring pressing topics such as sustainable design in sports facilities, inclusive urban planning, emerging technologies and policy frameworks shaping the future of sports infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. With a strong focus on real-world applications and future-ready strategies, these sessions are structured to support the Kingdom’s vision of becoming a global leader in sports and wellness infrastructure.
FSB Sports Show Riyadh will be co-located with International Hardware Fair Saudi Arabia. For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://www.fsb-riyadh.com/
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Ranju Warrier, Head of Communications – Construction, dmg events
ranjuwarrier@dmgevents.com
Anke Witscher, Marketing Manager International, Koelnmesse GmbH
a.witscher@koelnmesse.de
About FSB Sports Show Riyadh
FSB Sports Show Riyadh is Saudi Arabia’s leading trade fair dedicated to the development of sports infrastructure, leisure facilities and public spaces. Organised by dmg and Koelnmesse, the inaugural edition takes place from 16–18 June 2025 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC), co-located with International Hardware Fair Saudi Arabia. The event brings together key decision-makers, government representatives, urban planners and suppliers to explore the latest innovations shaping the Kingdom’s future of public spaces, sports and leisure facilities.
For more information, visit: https://www.fsb-riyadh.com/
About dmg events:
dmg events is a leading organizer of face-to-face events and publisher of trade magazines and information services. We aim to create dynamic marketplaces to connect businesses with the right communities to accelerate their growth in today's rapidly evolving landscape.
dmg events has operated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 2011, with offices in Riyadh and Jeddah and a portfolio over 30 international events.
With a presence in over 25 countries and organizing over 115 events annually, dmg events is a global leader in the industry. Attracting over 425,000 attendees and delegates annually, we organize events in the construction, hospitality, interiors and design, energy, coatings, entertainment and transportation sectors.
To better serve our customers, dmg events has offices in 10 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, South Africa, the UK, Canada and Singapore. By being on the ground, we can better understand market needs and nurture relationships to create unforgettable experiences for our attendees.
Our flagship events include Big 5 Global, Big 5 Construct Saudi, ADIPEC and Gastech. For more information, visit www.dmgevents.com. Founded in 1989, dmg events is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc DMGT, www.dmgt.co.uk.
About Koelnmesse
Koelnmesse is the world’s top trade fair organiser for the areas of Living, Contract and Public Spaces.
Alongside the new trade fair duo imm cologne and interior design days cologne (idd cologne), other formats hosted at the trade fair hub of Cologne such as ORGATEC, interzum, FSB, spoga+gafa and aquanale are among the most internationally renowned and established industry gatherings.
These fairs comprehensively represent the interior and design segment, the furniture and interior construction industries' supplying sections, the kitchen world, all topics for the modern working world, garden lifestyle as well as modern work environments, the garden lifestyle, public spaces, sports and leisure facilities, along with saunas, pools and wellness centres.
To complement the events in Cologne, Koelnmesse is constantly strategically expanding its portfolio in key growth markets around the globe. Its foreign trade fairs include La Feria De Diseño Medellín - powered by imm cologne in Colombia, the shows of the ORGATEC brand family with ORGATEC TOKYO in Japan, ORGATEC India in Mumbai and ORGATEC WORKSPACE Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, as well as the trade fairs of the interzum brand family: interzum guangzhou in China, interzum bogota in Colombia, interzum jakarta in Indonesia and interzum forum italy in Bergamo. The “Living, Contract and Public Spaces” portfolio also includes the FSB Sports Show Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Further information: https://www.fsb-cologne.com/trade-fair/fsb/fsb-worldwide/
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A detailed set of enhanced health and safety measures to ensure the successful integration of exhibitions and events post-COVID-19.
