Beyond football.. Saudi Arabia's growing sporting ambition

"Do you like football?" This has been one of the questions I've been asked most often since arriving in Saudi Arabia in August last year. While I wouldn't call myself a die-hard football fan, I've been consistently impressed by the Saudi people's passion for the sport.

You see it in boys racing across green pitches on sweltering nights, in the thunderous chants echoing through packed stadiums, and in the nationwide festivities after Saudi Arabia secured the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

As Saudi Minister of Sport Abdulaziz Bin Turki Bin Faisal said, "Football in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not just a sport. It is a part of our life and a global game we share with everyone."

Today, as I see, sports in Saudi Arabia are no longer just about football. The just-concluded Esports World Cup in the country is an epitome of Saudi Arabia's expanding sporting vision.

On July 10, the Esports World Cup kicked off with dazzling fireworks and a drone light show illuminating the night sky. At Boulevard City in Riyadh, the event venue, the square came alive with crowds, and under the neon lights were countless excited young fans, many of whom grew up long before esports were seen as "real sport". For me, it marks the seventh sporting event I've covered this year. As a journalist, I've had the opportunity to report on the WTA Finals, FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup ... Through these events, I've seen firsthand how Saudi Arabia is reshaping itself into a global sporting hub.

"When I was a kid, people mainly talked about football. But now, different kinds of sports are becoming part of our daily life," said my Saudi friend Mohammed, also a journalist. I first met him at a tennis exhibition match last year. Coincidentally, we crossed paths again recently at the Esports World Cup press conference.

Mohammed graduated only two years ago, yet he's already covered a slew of international events and witnessed Saudi Arabia's bold ambitions to become a sports powerhouse. He told me that as the kingdom continues to invest in its sports industry, more international events and global stars are coming to Saudi Arabia, giving locals a chance to get closer to tennis, boxing, golf and other sports. "A lot of Saudi people have started trying new sports," he said.

I still remember my conversation with Dana, a young Saudi woman, during the WTA Finals last November. She hadn't been a tennis fan -- until she watched Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen's opening match. Inspired, Dana decided to sign up for lessons and learn more about the sport.

When I later told Zheng about Dana's story, she said, "If more people can fall in love with tennis because of me, then maybe that's the ultimate reason I'm on the court." For me, that's the beauty of sports, a reminder of how sports transcend borders and spark new passions in the

kingdom.

Such newly ignited passions are visible everywhere. Even during Riyadh's scorching summer nights, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius, young Saudis can be seen sweating it out and relishing the excitement of activities such as tennis, padel and football across various courts and fields.

At one of such tennis courts, I met Alya, a young Saudi woman. "For me, tennis is more than just a sport. It's a lifestyle," she said. About nine months ago, she and two tennis-loving friends co-founded a brand for racket sports enthusiasts called Ace & Grace. "I met them through tennis, then we became friends. We want to make an impact. So we launched our own brand."

In her eyes, a sign of Saudi Arabia's ongoing transformation is the increasing presence of women in the sports sector. Thanks to backing from the government, educational institutions and local communities, Saudi women are engaging in athletic activities more than ever. Improvements in facilities, along with the introduction of female-only classes and events, have made it easier for women to participates, "Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in sports, and that's a positive trend," she told me. "I believe this will bring about real changes, because sports are not just physical -- they also build mental strength."

As Saudi Arabia gears up to host more major sports events -- the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2034 FIFA World Cup -- sportsmanship is getting more woven into the social fabric. And through the rising sporting ambition, I see Saudi Arabia's rising hope for a more vigorous future.