Sports Management

The World Economic Forum has reported that the Middle East’s sports industry is expected to grow by 8.7% by 2026 – compared with global sector growth of 3.3% over the same period. The region’s increasingly packed calendar of global sporting events, showcasing its institutional and organizational strengths globally, as well as the trend of high-profile athletes choosing to train here and continue their legacy, has elevated the profile and positive outlook of the Middle East. The regional market’s growth prospects reveal that sports revenue, from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar is expected to increase in the next five years. Football is the most popular sport in Middle East, the signing of footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr has contributed to the increasing popularity of the Saudi Professional League in the country in addition, the FIFA World Cup and Arab World Cup are important regional competitions that draw significant crowds. Middle East is also an important player in the global football scene since sponsorship, club ownership and the acquisition of broadcasting rights sit alongside event hosting as key avenues for the injection of funds and talent into the global game. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, for example committed $2.3 billion to football in 2022 to multiple clubs with a focus on building up the domestic game in other nations.