If you’re a sports fan then there is a strong chance you would have heard the term Riyadh Season being spoken about with increasing regularity. So, what exactly is Riyadh Season, why has it become the centre of sporting conversation over the winter months, and is it here to stay?
Saudi Arabia’s emerging concept
Riyadh Season is the name that the Saudi Arabian government has given to a series of entertainment events that are hosted in the country’s capital from October to March. In 2023, the Riyadh Season will start with the staging of the exhibition crossover fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou on October 28th. It's a match that is expected to be watched by millions around the globe despite the latest Fury vs Ngannou betting odds indicating that it's likely to be a one-sided affair.
A closer look at the most recent Paddy Power boxing odds reveals just how much of a mismatch this contest could potentially be with Fury at just 1/12 to win. Irrespective of how this bout might pan out, this will still be the biggest crossover fight to ever take place in combat sports and a significant win for the Saudi Arabian government which is intent on changing the global sporting status quo.
Above all, one of the main aspirations of the powers that be in the country is to bring the world’s most accomplished athletes to the shores of Saudi Arabia.
WBC heavyweight champion @Tyson_Fury and MMA star @francis_ngannou will face off in the "Battle of the Baddest" on October 28 in Riyadh. @IbrahimKhadra caught up with the two fighters ahead of the contest. #BattleOfTheBaddest #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/I4W9rdH5Yn
Since the inception of Riyadh Season in 2019, this is a goal that the Saudis have more or less achieved.
The stars arrive in Saudi
The WWE became the first sporting organisation to take part in Riyadh Season as the company’s Crown Jewel event was held in the country in 2019. Over the years that followed, this pay-per-view spectacle went from strength to strength with the Crown Jewel in Riyadh now a permanent fixture in the WWE calendar. As a result of the success of this unlikely collaboration, more of the world’s biggest sporting bodies agreed to stage their events in the country during Riyadh Season.
In particular, Formula One signed a ten-year deal to race in the country, and on the 5th of December 2021, the first-ever Grand Prix was hosted in Saudi Arabia which was won by Lewis Hamilton.
The perfect formula
March 7-9, 2024 #SaudiArabianGP #فورمولا1_في_السعودية pic.twitter.com/G3V6JKjFtn
In short, it hasn’t taken long for the Saudi organisers to put together a star-studded sporting itinerary for Riyadh Season. However, it’s not just sport on offer as this festival also aims to showcase the finest Saudi cuisine as well as host music concerts.
Is Riyadh Season here to stay?
The short answer is yes on account of the government’s Saudi Vision 2030 campaign which is designed to diversify the country’s economic, social, and cultural interests. What this essentially means is that the Saudi government will continue to invest large sums of money in bringing the best entertainment to Riyadh from October to March every year in the hope that by 2030, this festival will be the biggest in the world.
When that time comes, you can be certain that Riyadh Season will be a familiar term throughout the world.
