Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in the future of sports over the past decade, paying millions to promotors to host significant events in the kingdom. These events have generally been well-received by attendees, demonstrating to locals that there is always an opportunity to reach the highest level of sport. Traditionally, AlUla Camel Cup betting online has been a favorite among punters in the Middle East, but the major influx of stars in several sports has seen betting become very popular across these sports. In this article, we will look at some of the sports that have gained huge popularity since being staged in the Middle East.
Soccer
It would be challenging to start with any other sport than soccer, which has become one of the most talked-about factors in Saudi Arabian sport over the last 12 months. The Saudi Pro League now hosts several of the best European players in the sport, with clubs from the region paying huge sums to tempt stars away from the major European leagues to take up new challenges.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first star to make the move, as Al Nassr announced the signing of one of the world’s best players in early 2023. However, the Portuguese star has only opened the floodgates in terms of major names that have made the most to Saudi Arabia, with superstars such as Karim Benzema, Neymar, and N’Golo Kante also swapping high-quality regular competition for the Saudi Pro League. The main aim of the investment in the league is to win the rights to host the World Cup in the near future, and that target could be achieved sooner than many would have believed.
Boxing
Boxing has been one of the biggest investments by Saudi Arabia in recent memory, with some of the biggest bouts in the world being staged in the Middle East. One of the first saw Anthony Joshua reclaim his heavyweight titles against Andy Ruiz before the Brit once again was in action against Oleksandr Usyk in a mega heavyweight fight last year.
However, one of the biggest boxing events in recent memory has been announced in Saudi Arabia, with Usyk set to challenge Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship at some point in 2024. The fight was scheduled in February, but it has been pushed back due to the Gypsy King picking up an injury.
Formula 1
Formula 1 has been one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide in recent years, with much of that being down to the success achieved by Netflix smash ‘Drive to Survive’. Therefore, it is little surprise that there is now a regular stop on the schedule in Saudi Arabia, with the Grand Prix being staged in Jeddah annually since 2021. It is one of the most enjoyable scheduled races, with drivers competing at high speeds across the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Three drivers have succeeded in the race up to this point, with Lewis Hamilton winning the inaugural edition. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have also claimed victories in Saudi Arabia, meaning that Red Bull is the most dominant team at the Saudi Arabian track ahead of the 2024 season.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is exceptionally popular across the Middle East throughout the European winter, with many of the top stars from around the world traveling to the region in the hope of winning record-breaking prize money. One of the biggest race days is the Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race with a $20 million purse. It invites runners from across the world, with the winner of the Pegasus World Cup in the United States and the winner of the Champions Cup in Japan both given automatic starting positions.
It has been listed as a Group 1 since 2022 and is staged at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh. Panthalassa made history by becoming the first Japanese-trained race winner in 2023, while there have also been successes for the UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States since 2020.
Conclusion
There has been major investment in sports in the Middle East throughout recent history, leading to several major events being staged in Saudi Arabia. That only looks set to continue over the coming years, with the World Cup set to be staged in Saudi Arabia.
