Sports in Saudi Arabia

HHey there,

Saudi youth are very fond of football, they play it with a great deal of joy in football fields, parks and even streets for hours and hours. The local cafes are swamped with youth every Thursday night watching their favorite team playing in the local league and they just don't stop cheering and yelling all the time. It is pretty interesting observing them.

Aside from football which is number one sport here, there are some other sports activities some of them are normal such as fishing and swimming and others which are risky and adventurer like car's drifting and motorcycles racing and parachuting. The police has dedicated some restricted areas for practicing these dangerous sports and you will always find police patrols and ambulances tow cars around these places just in case anything goes wrong.

It is really interesting watching all these kinds of sports practiced by young vibrant Saudis. It is their way of showing their real colors and spending good time due to the limitation of social relations here (anyone who knows Saudi will understand what I mean;)

Personally speaking, I like football as well alongside with walking and swimming which I really enjoy in the calm waters of the Gulf.

Cheers

Well in saudi arabia people are too much interested in foot ball but I never see any international match in saudi arabia in any game.

Hello there,
Good day to you.
The most popular sports in KSA is soccer or as they say football.
Everyone country in the Middle East enjoy playing if not watching football matches.
From the former legend Brazilian Pele' then to Lionel Messi. Football is played and even the national sports of many European countries including the Middle East and all the South American countries.
Basketball andVolleyball are also being played.
Tennis is my preferred sports. It does not require that you're so tall or small but  you must be agile and fast.You must focus yourself to the ball.

Saudi Arabia has its own national sport like any other country which is football. The kids play football on the streets and in dedicated areas like parks and avenues where they have the proper facility.

The expats play their own sports that interest them like cricket, basketball, snooker, bowling, etc.

I am personally into basketball which I play at a nearby gym which facilitates a court for the same. When not in the mood for basketball I usually go play snooker or bowling.

How about yourself?

we shall go for Scuba Diving. to live in Jeddah and near Red Sea. this is the best advantage we do have.
we enjoyee every friday at red sea open water with beautiful world under water.
imran

Cricket & Table Tennis

Priscilla wrote:

Hello everyone,

The Olympic Games are now just a few days away and we would like to talk about sports.

What sports are the most popular and/or unusual in Saudi Arabia?

Are sports facilities easily accessible there? Where and how can one find sports clubs in the region?

Are there sports events regularly held in the country?

And you? What is your favourite sport? Which one(s) do you practice in Saudi Arabia?

Thank you in advance,

Priscilla

hello there,
Football is the most popular sports here.
For football there are facilities that can accommodate the sport.
Sports that are regularly held is football, and for us we also regularly held basketball tournament, between companies, and yes there are also sports facilities that can hold basketball.
Favorite sport/s; basketball, table tennis, darts. we practice basketball, table tennis and volleyball. our company has a recreation area built only for the sports mostly played by the employees regardless of their nationality. Basketball among us here, volleyball for mixed races, crickets for Indians and other nationalities who played it, and indoor sports like table tennis and darts. and of course we are the one who provide the boards and everyone who wants to play table tennis and darts should bring their own pins and rackets, ping pong balls are supplied and shared by everyone of us.

And may we know your favorite sport?

Take care.

HI everyone.
Football is the most popular game in the region. Still we can find people interested   Swimming, boxing. Tennis.
Wishing luck to all the participants.
Best wishes.
Loay

As a lot of expats has reinforced - football remains the top pick in KSA. An unusual sport is hunting - in the desert for Dabb / Lizard. "Drifting" if considered as a sport is also very common with the youngsters.

Expats on the other hand in awaiting for sporting venues other than usual odd places for bowling, snooker, basketball, badminton, cricket..........I for one have been searching for a place to practice archery.  Its available however for locals only.

There are public youth / sports centers dotted around the capital but few for expats.

I am a cricket and rugby fan since my youth. Dont play anymore. I dont like football (soccer) as much although it is the most popular sport in KSA.

I also enjoy indoor games like Scrabble and Bridge.

Only Football

Hi to all,

The most popular game in Saudi Arabia is Soccer, and I am very happy to see that some females from Saudi Arabia are also taking part in Olympic Game.

My favorite game is cricket,, when ever I have a time I goes to play cricket in weekend holidays.

Mansoor Muhammad

Hello there,

The sports here is football that is held very much across the region and have local club matches in stadiums here.

Any other types of sports in terms of a majority isn't known as football is very much the only sport that is both played and followed professionally.

Hope this answer helps.

Thanks.

Ahsan Minhas

The only and only game here in KSA is football.

Hi,
there are a number of Cycling clubs in Jeddah and also in Riyadh.

In Jeddah I belonged to the Jeddah Cyclists, they have started having regular races in addition to the weekly rides that cater for all abilities, children are encouraged as well. I was the first European member of JC.

Triathlons are becoming popular with a number of my Arab friends participating.
I believe there was a duathlon held in KAEC a couple of months ago.

I have also heard of an American football team being organised.

I am a football fan, in the UK I've been to most of the Premier league grounds, also a big athletics fan with one of my sons representing Ireland for mountain running.

I really like footbal ...

Well ! Here in Saudia locals love to play football , but as papoulation consist of higher number of expats so you will also see cricket as may Pakistani Indian Bangalis playing cricket specially on weekend.

I love to play football and badminton ,, lot of tournament local bodies are conducting for badmintoni also participated and won few of them

hi
now the sports takes in good hand not like before

Wherever i go to the place of Jeddah i always see Saudis youth playing Soccer with great enthusiasm. I'm not used to play Soccer but i love watching it particularly when the game is the FIFA tournament. My sport is Basketball for my hands is better than my feet.

For me, "health is wealth! So, I make sure to play basketball and tennis 3-4 times a week!

yes  football is  the most   liked and  played in saudi arabia   besides  indians and pakistanis  play  cricket  but  it requird  big grounds   that  they play only on holidays especially on fridays  at  most open spaces available . some  youngs  play  cycling too on  streets  and motor cucluin  and drifting too is done at places where it is allowed .

I see football played everywhere (boys only), but when the teams come to stadiums only men can go.

I am a huge sports fan (American Football, US college basketball, swimming, waterpolo, etc,,,,) and would participate and watch more if there was women's teams and I had easy access to transportation without paying large sums of money. Thank god for internet and cable so I can at least watch

Also seems UFC and wrestling are big draws - channel dedicated to them on OSN and again they came to Jeddah only men and sons could attend (not that I would want to). I know many who attended and loved it

Football as everyone wrote is national game, I played cricket with my indian and Pakistani friends. I also used to enjoy squash I had a circle of friends who used to play squash. Courts are limited but all good hotels have wooden courts with glass wall

Actually, I am a chess player , since 1 year ago i joined the saudi chess community where they are organizing periodical tournaments arround Saudi Arabia main cities , i used to be there , now i feel that i have good experience, my level become much better , i have FIDE rating and i got more friends arround the whole world .

Ahmad Kashmar

sport in saudia is football

my favorite is cricket

People here enjoy playing soccer( football) and support international teams. Few people like handball , basketball, walking, and swimming.  I like soccer and tennis

Sports i heard this word somewhere
The following things are here
Work, Eat and Sleep while in addition prayer for Muslims are the four things to do,,, other than this sorry i didn't see anything regarding sports

Anyone know of a good Martial Arts Supply store?  In either Jeddah or Riyadh?

thanks

cricket and football for me

I don't like football because it creates a sort of addiction to it. I follow cricket, tennis and i was closely following Boxing until Tyson, Holyfield and Len lewis played. I feel the quality of boxing went flat after their generation. These days its more of abusive words than a real intense decent boxing match.

Hi there,

Football is popular here among locals while expatriates go for basketball, lawn tennis, badminton mainly.

regards,

I teach scuba diving on weekends. Its a great and relaxing sports. Anyone wanna try Scuba Diving in Arabia, just send me a message.

**

Mark
PADI IDC Staff Instructor

I play Badminton every week

invite me to play cricket too, I stay in Riyadh too

Hello all

A general reminder :

You can drop adverts in the Sport Partners in Saudi Arabia section to reach out to people wanting to find sports partners.

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com

with this hot weather i prefer to stay home and play GTA 5 :p to avoid sunburn.

Tennis is my favorite sport .

I prefer martial arts. I started practicing them about 35 years ago. I started professionally teaching 2 related gong-fu martial arts (Wing Chun & JKD) 23 years ago.