Middle East
IOC, Saudi Arabia in 12-year hosting deal for Olympic Esports Games
Saudi Arabia's emergence as the home for the esports and gaming industry has been underlined by the International Olympic Committee today awarding the country hosting rights to its new Olympic Esports Games event.
Saudi staging of top AFC events sees Neom renew global deal
Neom, the new region being built by the Saudi Arabian government in the country’s north west, is to continue as a leading sponsor of the Asian Football Confederation throughout the decade.
Extreme E’s hydrogen switch brings Saudi interests to the fore
Extreme E’s transformation into Extreme H will turn Alejandro’s Agag’s sustainable off-road odyssey into a far more commercially-focused property, centring the interests of its Saudi backers and attracting new partners such as Red Bull to the sport.
Government-backed Ooredoo titles Qatar Stars League
The Qatar Stars League (QSL) has signed up another Qatar-government backed entity – the telco Ooredoo – to act as the league’s title sponsor, taking over from the previous long term-encumbent Qatar Natio…
Adidas returns to Saudi esports scene with World Cup sponsorship
Adidas has taken a significant sponsorship position at the inaugural edition of the Esports World Cup, taking place in Saudi Arabia next month
WRC returns to Middle East in 10-year Saudi deal
World Rally Championship set to join Formula 1, Formula E, Extreme E and the Dakar Rally on the Kingdom's events calendar, from 2025.
Infront nets Bundesliga sales remit in cluster of European markets
Bundesliga International has turned to Infront to manage media rights sales in 10 mainly Central and Eastern European countries in the agency's third multi-territory distribution deal in quick succession with a major European league.
PIF adds WTA sponsorship inventory to nascent hosting, ATP deals
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has struck a multi-year deal with the Women's Tennis Association that mirrors its agreement with the men's Tour: sponsorship but no equity investment.
Top F1 sponsor Qatar Airways adds MotoGP to portfolio
Qatar Airways, one of world sport's most prominent sponsors, has signed a multi-year deal with motorcycling's MotoGP.
Aramco doubles down on ICC deal after IPL exit
Saudi energy and chemicals companies Aramco has extended its global partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for another four years
Riyadh Season grows international footprint in multi-faceted UFC alliance
Riyadh Season, the annual Saudi Arabian state-funded festival hosted in the capital, is continuing to branch out beyond its borders, with a new sponsorship deal struck with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
ESL FACEIT agrees deal to develop Saudi esports masterplan
ESL FACEIT Group has agreed a wide-ranging five-year deal with Qiddiya City that will see it play a key role in the development of a gaming and esports district in Saudi Arabia.
DAZN steps in to show US Masters in Mena region
DAZN has continued in its attempts to carve out a niche in golf in a deal for exclusive rights to golf’s 2024 US Masters in the Middle East and North Africa.
WTA follows ATP with closer Saudi ties as Finals head to Riyadh
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has announced its season-ending WTA Finals will be staged in the Saudi capital Riyadh after it agreed a three-year deal with the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).
Delayed UFC Saudi debut set for June after improved fight card
UFC will make its Saudi Arabia debut in June, three months later than envisaged after local organisers pushed back on the promotion's original plans to launch with a weak card.
Sony becomes founding partner of Saudi-backed Esports World Cup
The Sony Group has announced a multi-year agreement to become a founding partner of the Saudi-backed Esports World Cup, which takes place this summer in the kingdom’s capital city, Riyadh.
Five editions of expanded annual Fifa U17 World Cup awarded to Qatar
Fifa has continued the expansion of its international tournaments with the announcement that Qatar is to host the next five editions of an annual 48-team men’s U17 World Cup, with Morocco set to stage t…
Team goes to market in Israel, leaving Mena as main outlier
Broadcasters in Israel have been given five weeks to formulate their bids for media rights to Uefa club competitions in the country