The guests led by Ronaldo welcomes Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

RIYADH, Sept 22: Saudi Arabia has been making unprecedented strides in developing its sports sector in recent years. Guided by the strategic framework of the Saudi Sports Federation, the Kingdom has built an active and thriving community by encouraging physical activity among adults, to reduce inactivity rates by 1–10% this year alone.

This rapid growth is driven by the generous support of the Saudi leadership and the close oversight of His Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Minister of Sports. Since the launch of Vision 2030, sports development has been a national priority—improving quality of life while elevating the Kingdom’s presence on both regional and global sports stages.

According to the 2024 Vision report, the Kingdom has witnessed remarkable growth in sports infrastructure. In 2019, there were 16 clubs in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Professional League, 16 in the First Division, and 20 in the Second Division. By 2024, the total number of clubs had surged to 128 across the Kingdom. Likewise, the number of Saudi sports federations expanded from 32 in 2015 to 97 by the end of 2024—reflecting a comprehensive transformation across all sports disciplines.

Since the launch of Vision 2030, women’s participation in sports has soared by more than 150%. Today, over 330,000 registered female athletes, supported by thousands of coaches, referees, mentors, and sports physicians, are competing and excelling locally, regionally, and internationally.

The Kingdom now boasts more than 500 women’s sports centers and 104 women serving on the boards of sports organizations—7 of whom lead federations. Saudi Arabia has also established 37 national women’s teams and trained nearly 100 female coaches. Grassroots participation is thriving as well, with 15,000 schoolgirls taking up tennis for the first time and more than 70,000 playing football.

Female participation in sports is now just 2% lower than that of men. In 2020, Saudi Arabia celebrated its first female Paralympian at the Tokyo Games, and in 2024, its first female Olympic swimmer competed in Paris. Women’s football has also seen rapid progress, with Al-Nassr’s women’s team capturing both the league and Super Cup titles, securing a place in international competitions.

Saudi Arabia is increasingly a hub for world-class sporting events under Vision 2030. The Kingdom will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup—the biggest event in global football—as well as the Asian Games in the same year. Other events such as Formula E, Formula 1, the Spanish Super Cup, and the prestigious Saudi Cup horse race further showcase the Kingdom’s expanding role on the global sporting stage.

The Saudi Pro League (Roshn) has also risen in international prominence, now regarded among the top 10 leagues worldwide. The arrival of global stars, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo with Al-Nassr, has transformed the league into a global spectacle. Ronaldo, now a sporting ambassador for Saudi Arabia, continues to spotlight the Kingdom—most memorably when he appeared in traditional Saudi attire on Founding Day, capturing worldwide attention and drawing millions of fans to follow Saudi sports.