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The rise of sport in the Middle East
Sport has become a powerful force across the Middle East in recent years, with the region emerging as a major player on the global stage across many different events.
From high-octane Formula One races and world title boxing bouts to elite football, golf and tennis tournaments, countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain are regularly hosting some of the biggest events on the planet.
As sport in the Middle East continues to grow, we’ve taken a closer look at some of them, highlighting some of the unmissable events coming up in the months ahead.
Boxing
Boxing has rapidly grown in prominence in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh emerging as a global hotbed for the sport. A lot of this momentum stems from Riyadh Season, the kingdom’s annual festival celebrating entertainment, culture and sport.
Boxing has become a central feature of the festival, hosting blockbuster fights including Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou, Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker in 2023.
That trend continued into 2024, where Joshua faced Ngannou before the undisputed heavyweight clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, which was ultimately followed by their highly anticipated rematch.
And the excitement doesn’t look like slowing down, with plenty more Middle Eastern boxing on the horizon as Moses Itauma prepares to face Dillian Whyte next month. Meanwhile, with major names like Usyk, Joshua, Daniel Dubois and many more looking for their next bout, there will undoubtedly be plenty of announcements in the coming months.
Formula One
Formula One continues to have a strong presence in the Middle East, with plenty of races held there across the calendar. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have already hosted early races in the 2025 season, with more to come later in the year.
Australian driver Oscar Piastri currently leads the standings in the race for the Drivers’ Championship, narrowly ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri has been imperious so far and secured back-to-back victories in the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The season will conclude with two consecutive races in the Middle East, with the Qatar Grand Prix followed by the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 2024 champion Max Verstappen claimed victory in Qatar last year, while Lando Norris closed out the 2024 season with a win in Abu Dhabi. With just 16 points separating Piastri and Norris at this stage, the title race could go down to the wire. As a result, all eyes will once again be on the Middle East, where the championship could be decided in spectacular fashion.
Football
Like many sports, football has seen rapid growth in the Middle East in recent years, with Saudi Arabia leading the charge. The financial muscle of Saudi clubs has allowed them to compete with top European sides, attracting some of the best players in the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané and Riyad Mahrez.
Even English players have made the transition – Ivan Toney and Chris Smalling currently play for Al-Ahli and Al-Fayha respectively, while Jordan Henderson, who recently joined Brentford, spent time with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.
After a competitive domestic season, Al-Ittihad claimed the Saudi Pro League title in the 2024/25 season. Boasting talented stars including N’Golo Kanté, Fabinho, Houssem Aouar, Moussa Diaby and Steven Bergwijn, they finished eighth points clear of Al-Hilal.
The new season is set to kick off at the end of August, with Ronaldo looking to guide Al-Nassr to their first league title since 2019. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is also preparing to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, becoming the second Middle Eastern nation to do so after Qatar hosted in 2022, a tournament that was ultimately won by Argentina.
Other sports
In tennis, the WTA Finals head to Riyadh this November. The top eight players of the 2025 tour will go head-to-head, with American sensation Coco Gauff looking to defend the title she won last year.
Meanwhile in cricket, India are hoping to retain their Asia Cup crown. They’re competing against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Hong Kong in the T20 tournament in the UAE throughout September.
Elsewhere, UFC Fight Night is making its debut in Doha, Qatar in November, while snooker is returning to the Middle East for the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters. The competition runs from 8th to 16th August, with Judd Trump looking to defend his crown after beating Mark Williams in the final last year.
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