Saudi Esports Federation President: We Seek to Establish the Kingdom as Global Hub for the Industry

Saudi Esports Federation President: We Seek to Establish the Kingdom as Global Hub for the Industry
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Saudi Esports Federation President: We Seek to Establish the Kingdom as Global Hub for the Industry

Saudi Esports Federation President: We Seek to Establish the Kingdom as Global Hub for the Industry

Saudi Esports Federation President Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz highlighted the strong connection between esports and traditional sports in terms of engagement, spectatorship, and participation.
Prince Faisal made these remarks during a plenary session titled "How Will Esports Create a New Global Olympic Arena" at the eighth Future Investment Initiative (FII8) conference, currently underway in Riyadh.
He also emphasized the importance of establishing key performance indicators to position Saudi Arabia as a global esports hub.
Prince Faisal stated: "We have a number of initiatives that contribute to facilitating dialogue between the public and private sectors and the growth of the businesses we seek. These include a company affiliated with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) that leads our investments, a fund within the National Development Fund, and a federation that works with professional players in local competitions and competes in international competitions."

He emphasized the importance of establishing an esports authority to establish the national policy for esports.
The president of the Saudi Esports Federation discussed the growth of the esports sector and the integration of esports with artificial intelligence.



Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
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Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Ronaldinho made his return to professional football on Sunday for Ravenna, an ambitious club in Italy's third tier aiming to reach Serie A.

The 46-year-old Brazilian great put in a low-key performance in his first competitive match since playing for Fluminense in 2015, as Ravenna took on local rivals Forli bidding for promotion.

The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner only played in the first half but was involved in the move which ended with Giulio Donati smashing hosts Ravenna ahead in the 36th minute.

Ronaldinho entered the field to great fanfare, with the 5,000-capacity Stadio Bruno Benelli adding a temporary stand with 1,800 places -- dubbed "R10" -- for the occasion.

Flares and smoke bombs were let off in the stands while Andrea Bocelli's "Con Te Partiro" blasting out of the stadium's speakers.

Ravenna, who have not even played in Serie B since 2008, are second in their regional group in Serie C and came into the weekend's fixtures six points behind leaders Spezia.

One team for each of the three groups will be directly promoted to Serie B, with the final spot in the second tier decided by a play-off.


Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
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Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA

The Saudi U15 girls' national football team begins its training camp today in Jeddah. The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions.

The camp aims to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness and strengthen team cohesion through a training program developed by the coaching staff, SPA reported.

The program is designed to improve performance and prepare the team for the next phase.

The camp is part of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's development plan for the U15 girls' national team.


Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform
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Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

The Saudi Ministry of Sport announced on Sunday the launch of a service to accredit platforms that sell and resell tickets for sports competitions and events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The service is available through the ministry’s Riyadhi Platform (riyadhi.sa) and aims to regulate ticket sales and resale in accordance with ministry-approved regulations while streamlining accreditation procedures for investors and platform operators, according to SPA.

The ministry previously granted ticketing platform operators a 90-day grace period, starting from October 26, when the regulations governing ticket sales for sports competitions and events were issued, to update their systems and align their operations with the approved technical and regulatory requirements.