Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
For several years now, popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia are no longer limited to just a few flagship disciplines. The Kingdom has undertaken a profound transformation of its sporting landscape as part of Vision 2030, with a clear dual objective: to improve the quality of life for its residents and to make the country a global destination for sport. The result is a boom in sports participation, a proliferation of infrastructure, and opportunities for both residents and travelers that have never been so diverse.
The Saudi sports system is structured, ranging from neighborhood pitches to professional leagues. It encompasses traditional sports, water activities, new urban disciplines, and esports, offering a broad panorama of activities.
A Country Discovering Itself as a “Sporting Nation”
The place of sport in Saudi society has radically changed in less than ten years. Vision 2030, launched in 2016, makes sport a central lever for economic diversification, but also a tool for social cohesion and public health. Driven by the Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Olympic Committee, the powerful sovereign wealth fund PIF, and a myriad of federations, amateur participation has become a national priority.
The share of the Saudi population engaging in physical activity each week in 2024, compared to about 13–14% in 2015–2017.
The development of infrastructure is keeping pace, between major “sports cities” (with stadiums, Olympic pools, indoor halls, sports clinics) and small neighborhood complexes. Simultaneously, programs like “Sports for All” are multiplying community events, “Folk Games Days,” and youth camps to embed sporting habits into daily life.
This change in sports culture is also evident in a symbolic statistic: the sport sector’s share of GDP jumped from $2.4 billion in 2016 to $6.9 billion in 2019, with a target of around $22.4 billion by 2030. In other words, playing sports in Saudi Arabia now means participating in a real economy.
Soccer: The Kingdom’s Sporting Religion
One cannot talk about popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia without starting with soccer, the true national sport. Introduced in the 1950s, it has established itself as the dominant passion of all generations. Estimates suggest around 600,000 people play soccer in the country, from recreational level to federal competitions.
A Structured Pyramid from Grassroots to Elite
Soccer is overseen by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), a member of FIFA since 1956. The domestic structure relies on a system of professional and semi-professional divisions, with promotion and relegation.
The men’s pyramid can be summarized as follows:
| Level | Main Competition | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Pro League (Roshn League) | 18 clubs, 34 matchdays, August to May |
| 2 | First Division League | Access to the elite, two direct promotions + playoff |
| 3 | Second Division | Semi-pro clubs, gateway to the top level |
| 4 | Third & Fourth Division | Regional and local level, very broad base of clubs |
In parallel, SAFF manages a vast youth ecosystem: 19 national teams, over 27,000 registered players, about 83,000 players in amateur leagues, 649 academies, and more than 200,000 boys participating in the school championship.
For a recreational player, the entry point is often an affiliated local club, a neighborhood tournament, or the School League. For an expatriate, amateur leagues and private academies also offer many opportunities for organized play.
An Elite League Turned Global Showcase
The Saudi Pro League (SPL), renamed the Roshn Saudi League for sponsorship reasons, has become one of the most high-profile competitions in Asia, even the world, since the wave of investment launched in 2023. The sovereign wealth fund PIF took a 75% stake in four historic giants (Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli) and funded the arrival of international stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané, and N’Golo Kanté.
The Saudi Pro League is broadcast in more than 155 countries worldwide.
For the average participant, this visibility has a direct impact: more infrastructure, more academies, more training camps, and an inspiring model for youth who can easily attend very high-level matches.
A National Team Fueling Enthusiasm
The exploits of the men’s national team, the “Green Falcons”, also fuel this enthusiasm. Qualified six times for the World Cup (including 1994, where it reached the round of 16), the team made its mark by beating Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2–1 during the 2022 World Cup. It has also won the AFC Asian Cup three times (1984, 1988, 1996).
The country is organizing and bidding for several major international soccer competitions, including the 2027 Asian Cup, the 2023 Club World Cup, the 2024 FIFA Series, and, crucially, the 2034 World Cup as the sole candidate. These events stimulate the development of sports participation.
Women’s Soccer in Full Acceleration
Soccer is no longer the preserve of men. Since 2017, physical education classes have been gradually introduced for girls in public schools, and SAFF has set up a dedicated women’s soccer department, led by Aalia Al-Rasheed. The creation of the women’s national team in 2021, followed by its first international matches and entry into the FIFA rankings in 2023, changed the game.
The women’s pyramid is structured around several levels:
| Level | Women’s Competition | Number of Clubs (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAFF Women’s Premier League | 8 clubs |
| 2 | Women’s First Division League | 8 clubs |
| 3 | Women’s Second Division League | About 25 clubs (5 groups) |
| Cups | Saudi Women’s Cup, Super Cup, Challenge | Open to qualified clubs |
More than 1,500 players are involved in the women’s Premier League, including about 940 Saudis. The championship is now broadcast internationally (notably via DAZN), enhancing its visibility. At the grassroots level, over 70,000 girls participate in the School League, and 17 women’s academies have been established since 2021.
For a girl or woman wanting to take up soccer in Saudi Arabia, there is now a full range: club lessons, university tournaments, private leagues, and then federal competitions. Salaries and training conditions are also tending to align with those of men, with a stated principle of equal treatment within national teams.
Basketball: The Second King Sport
While soccer dominates, basketball has established itself as the country’s second great sporting passion, especially among youth. Introduced in the 1960s, it now has about 150,000 participants.
A Structured Federation and Expanding Leagues
Basketball is administered by the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation (SBF), based in Riyadh. The federation, created in the mid-1960s, oversees several national teams (men’s, women’s, and 3×3) and a set of competitions: elite championships, cups, youth league, junior league, etc.
The main league is the Saudi Basketball League (SBL), sometimes called the Saudi Premier League. It comes in men’s and women’s versions. The typical season runs from early October to late March, leaving room for street basketball and summer tournaments the rest of the year.
| Category | Estimated Number of Teams | Example Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| SBL Men | 10 teams | Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Ohud Medina, Al-Fateh, Al-Khaleej… |
| SBL Women | 6 teams | Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Okhdood, Al-Qadsiah, Al-Ula |
In total, the SBF has 64 affiliated clubs, bringing together more than 2,300 male and female players. The men’s league is broadcast on SSC channel, proof of its growing popularity. The champion secures a spot in the Basketball Champions League Asia, the FIBA West Asia Super League, and the Arab Club Championship, while the women’s league champion qualifies for the Women’s Basketball League Asia.
For amateurs, clubs usually offer youth and recreational sections. Simultaneously, private academies are developing. Finally, the practice of 3×3 basketball, easier to organize on neighborhood courts, is experiencing spectacular growth.
A Solid National Team at the Asian Level
The Saudi men’s team has not yet participated in the Olympic Games or the FIBA World Cup, but it has placed among Asia’s best several times. Its greatest achievement remains a bronze medal at the FIBA Asia Cup in 1999. It also finished fourth in the same tournament in 1997 and regularly in the top 10 over three decades.
Results at the FIBA Asia Cup illustrate its consistency:
| Year | Saudi Arabia’s Ranking at FIBA Asia Cup |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 7th |
| 1993 | 6th |
| 1995 | 6th |
| 1997 | 4th |
| 1999 | 3rd (bronze) |
| 2005 | 8th |
| 2013 | 13th |
| 2022</td | 14th |
| 2025 | 10th (home competition, projected data) |
At the Asian Games, the best performance is a sixth place in 2022. In Arabia, the federation is also betting heavily on 3×3, a more accessible format compatible with developing small courts in urban neighborhoods.
For participants, this momentum translates very concretely: more school and university tournaments, more indoor courts in municipal complexes, and the opening of the discipline to women in a structured framework.
Traditional Sports: Camel, Horse, and Falcon, a Living Heritage
Popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia are not limited to the Western model. The Kingdom is investing heavily in preserving and modernizing practices inherited from Bedouin life: camel racing, equestrian sports, and falconry.
Camel Racing: A National Identity
Camel racing is one of the pillars of the country’s sporting and cultural identity. This “sport of sheikhs” dates back to nomadic tribes for whom the camel was simultaneously a means of transport, a food resource, and a symbol of wealth. From simple friendly challenges between clans, the practice has transformed into a highly structured competition circuit, supported by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, created in 2018 and based in Riyadh.
Races take place on dedicated tracks in several regions, with categories defined by the animal’s age and type of owner. The federation has implemented an arsenal of rules to ensure animal welfare and competition integrity: limiting the weight of “jockeys” (now ultra-light robots), anti-doping programs, care standards, monitoring via electronic chips and GPS.
For a Saudi, camel racing is often a family activity, with investments in breeding, preparation, or stable management. Camels follow a specific diet of dates, milk, honey, dry forage, and corn. These animals, often aged 1 to 5 years, can reach speeds of 25 mph (40 km/h) over distances up to 6.2 miles (10 km). Their competitions are organized according to well-codified categories, such as Mafarid, Haqayeq, and Laqaya.
Beyond competition, major festivals like the King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival or the Crown Prince Camel Festival, which held a Guinness record for the largest number of camels entered, showcase a whole economic (trade, breeding, tourism) and cultural (poetry, music, crafts) ecosystem.
Equestrian Sports and Horse Racing
Saudi Arabia maintains an equally ancient bond with the horse, particularly with the Arabian breed, renowned for its endurance and grace. Today, horse riding is practiced in several forms: recreational riding, endurance, show jumping, dressage, polo, and of course horse racing.
The center of equestrian racing in Saudi Arabia is the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, which hosts the Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race. This flagship event brings together an international audience of spectators, bettors, owners, and jockeys. The racing season generally runs from November to March, offering the most favorable weather conditions for attending competitions or getting started with horse riding.
There are an estimated 2,000 professional jockeys in the country. But for the general public, many equestrian centers, especially around Riyadh, Jeddah, and tourism projects like King Abdullah Economic City, offer lessons, trail rides, and camps for children.
Falconry: From Hunting to Precision Sport
Falconry, another age-old discipline of the Arab world, has evolved from a hunting practice to a codified sport and a strong identity symbol. In Saudi Arabia, the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is now the global reference of its kind, with speed, hunting, and training competitions bringing together falconers from around the world.
The most commonly used species are the Saker falcon and the Peregrine falcon, carefully selected and trained for months. The traditional hunting season runs from October to March, a period when enthusiasts go out with their falcons and their Saluki hounds, another emblematic breed of the region.
The practice requires considerable investment, both financial and time-consuming: for a beginner, entering this world often happens through a club or by being mentored by a master falconer. Authorities now encourage responsible practices and support raptor conservation programs, in line with UNESCO initiatives.
Cricket, Boxing, Tennis, Athletics: The Rise of Modern Sports
While the country strongly relies on its heritage, it also bets on a massive diversification of its sports offerings. Many sports, sometimes imported by expatriate communities, have taken root and become localized.
Cricket: South Asian Influence
Cricket is one of the best examples of this hybridization. Introduced in the 1970s by communities from India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka, it has gradually spread to Saudis themselves. Over 50,000 people are estimated to play cricket in the Kingdom today, including more than 8,000 officially registered players, with a growing proportion of locals (nearly 20%).
The season generally runs from October to April, to avoid extreme heat. The country has about 149 clubs and active associations like the Yanbu Al Sinaiyah Cricket Association, the largest in the country. Major cities have their own championships and cups, often organized on weekends, on synthetic pitches or sometimes on the only available grass field.
To integrate into the close-knit rugby community, join a local club or an expatriate league. The national team has demonstrated its potential with feats like a landmark victory against Namibia in 2016 and success in a quadrangular series against Kenya, Uganda, and Qatar.
Boxing and Combat Sports
Boxing is among the sports booming in Saudi Arabia, driven both by local practice and the organization of major international fights as part of Riyadh Season. There are an estimated 10,000 boxers in the country, with a late but rapid entry of women into the discipline: between 2021 and 2024, female participation in boxing jumped by 460%.
Several very high-level fights – Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr., “Day of Reckoning,” “Ring of Fire,” etc. – have been organized in Riyadh, drawing youth attention to combat sports. Boxing and MMA gyms are multiplying, often in the most dynamic neighborhoods of the capital and major cities.
Behind these showcases, the country also supports federations of Olympic martial arts like taekwondo, where Dunya Abutaleb became the first Saudi woman to earn a direct qualification for the Games, narrowly missing a medal at Paris 2024.
Dunya Abutaleb, first Saudi woman directly qualified for the Olympics in taekwondo
Tennis, Athletics, Swimming, and Other Disciplines
Tennis, long a niche sport, now has about 50,000 participants, with clubs in major cities and a strong focus on female practice in schools: a pilot program allowed 15,000 girls to discover tennis in a school setting. Hosting the WTA Finals in Riyadh is accelerating this movement by giving visibility to the discipline.
In athletics, about 150,000 people practice running or related disciplines. The creation of mixed runner communities like Jeddah Running Community, Riyadh Urban Runners, or Khobar Running Krew illustrates the gradual appropriation of urban spaces by joggers, despite demanding weather. The success of runner Hadi Soua’an Al Somaily, silver medalist in the 400m hurdles at the 2000 Sydney Games, long served as a model.
Swimming (about 100,000 participants), table tennis (40,000), volleyball, and handball complete an increasingly dense sports landscape. Public pools, private clubs, and school or university facilities offer varied opportunities to get started in these disciplines.
Water Activities: The Giant Potential of the Coastline
With thousands of kilometers of coastline on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia naturally include a wide range of aquatic activities. The Red Sea, in particular, is renowned for its clear waters, over 300 coral reefs, and more than 1,000 fish species.
Diving, Snorkeling, and Reef Exploration
Scuba diving and snorkeling are among the most popular activities, especially around Jeddah, Yanbu, Umluj, Al Lith, or the Farasan Islands. Dive centers like Blue Reef Diver or Adventure Diver in Yanbu, or Al-Haddad Scuba and Sun & Sea Dive Center in Jeddah, offer training, beginner dives, and outings for all levels.
Dive sites offer great variety: wrecks (like the Ann Ann), drop-offs, caves, and coral plateaus. The wildlife includes clownfish, turtles, various shark species (hammerhead, bull) and sometimes whale sharks. For snorkeling, the shallow waters around Umluj, nicknamed the ‘Saudi Maldives,’ allow even beginners to discover exceptional marine landscapes.
Watersports and Aquatic Recreation
Saudi coasts are also superbly suited for windsports. Kitesurfing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, water skiing, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, e-foiling, flyboarding: the possibilities are numerous. Spots like Silver Sands Beach in Jeddah are known to kitesurfing enthusiasts, while the corniches of Jeddah or Dammam host many operators offering boat rides, parasailing, donut rides, or sport fishing trips.
For relaxation, many public or private beaches are accessible for swimming, sunbathing, or family picnics. Guests at resort complexes like Nujuma (Ritz-Carlton Reserve), Six Senses, or Mövenpick Resort Yanbu benefit from a full range of integrated water activities during their stay.
Logistics, Season, and Supervision
Practically speaking, the best period for watersports is generally between October and April, when temperatures are milder. Operators are increasingly strict about safety (instructor qualifications, limiting the number of divers per guide, checking recent dive certifications, etc.), with clear booking and cancellation conditions.
Sea activities are also a strong lever for tourism: flagship projects like “The Red Sea” or NEOM explicitly bet on snorkeling, diving, and watersports to attract an international clientele.
Motorsports, Golf, and Esports: The New Playgrounds
Saudi Arabia is not just strengthening its historical sports: it is also investing in areas previously little present in the region, like motorsports, golf, and esports, with a dual objective of image and economic diversification.
Motorsports: Urban Circuits and Infinite Desert
Since 2020, the Dakar Rally has been based in the Saudi desert, transforming dunes and rocky plateaus into a vast playground for drivers and co-drivers. In parallel, the Jeddah Corniche has become a major venue for international automobile competitions, with Formula 1, Formula E, and various GT and F4 series taking turns on an ultra-fast track.
For enthusiasts, several karting tracks and recreational circuits already exist, starting with the JCC Karting Center in Jeddah. The giant Qiddiya project plans to build Speed Park, a spectacular circuit mixing urban and permanent sections, with elevated turns and straights running alongside a roller coaster.
Regular participation in motorsports is generally more expensive than team sports. However, clubs, driving schools, and programs like ‘Next Gen’ are developing initiatives to democratize access to these disciplines, especially among Saudi youth.
Golf: A New Hub in the Middle East
Golf is another pillar of Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy. Long limited to a few courses frequented by expatriates, the country now aims to position itself as a major golf destination. The Riyadh Golf Club, nicknamed “the desert pearl,” hosts international tournaments like the opening of the 2026 LIV Golf League season, played at night over four days.
The 18-hole course (par 72) offers multiple tee boxes, with length ranging from 5,607 to 7,462 yards, making it playable at different levels. In parallel, the country plans to more than triple its number of courses by 2030, with iconic projects like Shura Links, Laheq Golf Course, or Trojena Northern Golf Course, integrated into vast tourism “giga-projects.”
For amateur players, the offering is rapidly diversifying with options like driving ranges, academies, 9 or 18-hole courses, and events combining golf and music. Access fees vary, and authorities seek to develop a local base of practitioners, in addition to international visitors.
Esports: A Clear Bet on Digital
Esports is not a “sport” in the traditional sense, but it is fully part of Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy. The Kingdom launched a National Gaming and Esports Strategy, backed by a $38 billion budget, to become a global hub for competitive video gaming. The Esports World Cup, held annually in Riyad, brings together tournaments across more than twenty titles and offers a club championship system.
For youth, competitive practice happens through clubs, universities, specialized venues, and online platforms. The idea, for authorities, is both to capture a booming industry and create skilled jobs in game design, broadcasting, event management, or coaching professional players.
Women and Sport: A Silent Revolution
One cannot talk about popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia today without mentioning the spectacular rise of female participation. Long kept away from organized sport, the female half of the population has become one of the central drivers of the transformation.
From Prohibition to Dynamism
Until 2017, girls did not have the right to sports classes in public schools. Practice was confined to a few private clubs, often expensive and reserved for an elite. Today, physical education is part of the official curriculum, from primary to high school, and six universities offer degree programs in sports science for women. Over 12,000 teachers from other disciplines have been trained to conduct these classes.
The number of registered sportswomen in Saudi Arabia now exceeds 330,000, illustrating a spectacular increase in female participation.
New Leagues, New Models
Soccer, basketball, athletics, boxing, and road running have seen the emergence of leagues, clubs, and inspiring figures. Clubs like Jeddah United (basketball) or Jeddah Running Community Women played a pioneering role in the social acceptance of female outdoor practice.
In soccer, the establishment of three women’s divisions, national cups, and a FIFA-recognized national team sent a clear signal: women are no longer tolerated guests, but full-fledged actors in the sports system. Authorities also boast of paying players on men’s and women’s national teams on the same scale, with equal access to facilities.
Alongside federal leagues, mass-participation events are multiplying: first women-only road races, awareness programs against obesity (which still affects 44% of Saudi women), actions in companies and universities.
Governance and Representation
Another major change: the place of women in sports governance. A directive requires each federation to include at least one woman on its board of directors and to include female representatives in international delegations. As a result, there are now 104 female administrators in federations and seven female presidents, an unprecedented number in the region.
Figures like Princess Reema bint Bandar, the first woman to head a multi-sport federation and then an IOC member, or Adwa Al-Arifi, a pioneer within SAFF, embody this new generation of female leaders.
How to Integrate into this Sporting Landscape?
For a resident, expatriate, or traveler, the options to play a sport in Saudi Arabia are now as numerous as they are structured. Major cities have networks of public facilities (stadiums, parks, indoor halls) managed by the General Presidency for Youth Welfare (GPYW) or municipalities, as well as private clubs offering monthly or annual memberships.
The Nafes platform simplifies procedures for opening clubs and gyms, stimulating a highly varied offering (fitness, swimming, yoga, etc.). Simultaneously, large-scale projects like Sports Boulevard in Riyadh (84 miles/135 km of dedicated green spaces) and the developed corniches of Jeddah and Dammam promote outdoor sports practice.
In practice, access to a given sport can take several forms:
Discover different ways to integrate into local sports life, from structured clubs to community events.
Join a club or academy to practice your favorite sport (soccer, basketball, tennis, cricket, combat sports) in an organized setting.
Participate in friendly competitions within corporate or expatriate leagues (cricket, recreational soccer, running).
Take part in community events, often free or low-cost, organized by the Sports for All Federation.
Enjoy multi-activity complexes (sports cities, national parks, beach resorts) for hiking, camping, swimming, or watersports.
The security and regulatory context is also evolving: dress codes are becoming more flexible, especially in private or segregated spaces, while authorities ensure mixed-gender activities are properly regulated in public facilities. For tourists, obtaining an e-visa or visa on arrival, combined with modern transport services (Uber, Careem, trains, buses), facilitates access to major sports spots.
Conclusion: An Open-Air Laboratory for Sports Practice
Popular sports to play in Saudi Arabia today reflect a dual movement: on one side, the asserted valorization of practices deeply rooted in Bedouin culture – camel racing, falconry, equestrian sports –; on the other, the massive adoption of the world’s most visible disciplines – soccer, basketball, cricket, boxing, motorsports, golf, esports.
This hybridization gives rise to a unique sporting landscape, where you can, in the same week, play a 5-a-side soccer match on a neighborhood field, dive on a Red Sea wreck, sign up for a boxing or yoga class, attend a camel race, and watch Cristiano Ronaldo or former NBA stars play in local leagues.
Social change is manifested concretely in everyday activities: during mixed-gender physical education classes at school, when families exercise together in parks in the evening, in clubs where women practice boxing or soccer, or in pastoral communities where youth learn to raise and train camels.
In a few years, Saudi Arabia has become an open-air laboratory for sports policies, mixing colossal investments, social reform, and the democratization of participation. Whether you are passionate about the round ball, attracted to extreme sports, curious about Bedouin traditions, or simply seeking a more active lifestyle, the Kingdom today offers a playground on the scale of its ambitions.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
