Quality of Life Program: Ongoing Efforts to Improve Kingdom's Sports Sector

Riyadh, August 08, 2024, SPA – The Quality of Life Program aims to transform the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into a leading nation in sports by developing the sports sector across various fields through high-quality initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Sports and relevant institutions.
This effort is designed to achieve two strategic goals from the Saudi Vision 2030: enhancing the practice of sports activities within the community and achieving excellence in several sports at both regional and global levels.
The program achieved exceptional accomplishments in the sports sector last year through this strategic approach, including hosting several global sports championships and events, primarily the Italian Super Cup 2023, featuring teams such as Inter Milan, Napoli, Lazio, and Fiorentina. Additionally, the Spanish Super Cup 2023 received extensive media coverage in over 78 countries worldwide, with a reach exceeding 3.8 billion people.
In 2023, the Quality of Life Program also achieved significant milestones in its sports-related initiatives. Under the "Vital Places" initiative, various sports events and races were organized, including the first Riyadh International Marathon, which attracted over 15,000 participants from around the world. The closed Sports Dome in Dammam, the Saudi Sports for All Federation Dome (SFA), was also inaugurated, offering over 15 different sports activities, with more than 43,100 registered beneficiaries. Also, the Neighborhood Clubs educational recreational centers saw over 35,000 students registered in 45 clubs across the Kingdom, with membership rising to 15,000 members in 2023.
Furthermore, the SFA launched the "Seniors Project" in partnership with Newcastle United Foundation, marking the first program targeting people of an older age group. The initiative aims to increase physical activity levels and enable more people to lead healthy and active lives, with over 1,800 participants.
To reinforce the Kingdom's position as a leading global destination for hosting international sports championships and events and to boost local participation in sports competitions, the Kingdom hosted several global sports events, including the 2023 AlUla Tour, with 112 cyclists from 16 countries participating.
--SPA