World Stadiums and Arenas Summit Opens in Riyadh
Riyadh hosted the opening of the inaugural World Stadiums and Arenas Summit on Tuesday, marking the start of a two-day gathering of global sports leaders, infrastructure experts, and sustainability professionals. The summit highlights Saudi Arabia's drive to foster innovation and promote sustainability in sports, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
Day one focused on key topics such as sustainable and smart sports venue development, the impact of sports on community building and the green economy, and global best practices in stadium design.
Discussions also emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships to advance innovation and sustainability within the sector. The summit reinforces the Kingdom's broader commitment to sustainable development and the integration of green initiatives across sports and infrastructure.
Related Topics :
Saudi Arabia Unveils 15 Lavish Stadiums for 2034 FIFA World Cup
Saudi Media Forum: World Cup 2034 Bid Captures Attention
Riyadh to Host Fortune's Inaugural Most Powerful Women International Summit
Saudi Esports Federation, PUBG Mobile Partner to Boost Gaming Ecosystem
Short link :
Post Views: 22 Related Stories
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain eye must-win clash in Asian qualifiers
Saudi Gazette report RIFFA — Saudi Arabia and Bahrain face a high-stakes showdown on Thursday in Group C of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26, with both sides knowing that only victory will keep their World Cup dreams alive. Bahrain, currently on six points, are targeting a playoff berth after back-to-back losses to Indonesia and Japan in March ended their hopes of automatic qualification. They trail second-placed Indonesia by three points, with only the third and fourth-placed teams eligible for the intercontinental playoff route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Bahrain's destiny is no longer in their own hands, Hélder Cristóvão's side remain mathematically in the race and will be eager to stay within reach heading into the final matchday. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, are locked in a tense battle with Australia for the group's second automatic qualification spot, with leaders Japan already through to the Finals. The Green Falcons need all three points in Riffa to keep the pressure on the Socceroos ahead of Tuesday's final round. Should Australia stumble against Japan on Thursday, a Saudi win would set up a dramatic, winner-takes-all clash between the two sides next week. With everything on the line, both teams are expected to come out with full intensity in what promises to be a decisive encounter in the Road to 26 campaign.
Leaders
3 days ago
- Leaders
Investment Ministry Expands Global Engagement at MESIF London 2025
The Ministry of Investment strengthened its global footprint by serving as the official sponsor and active participant at the Middle East Sports Investment Forum (MESIF) in London 2025. This initiative is part of the ministry's broader mission to develop the investment landscape within the Kingdom's sports sector, aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. MESIF is a premier international platform that brings together leading figures from the global sports and investment communities. Moreover, the ministry's delegation played a central role in the forum, working closely with event organizers and international partners to advance shared objectives. Throughout the event, the ministry showcased progress on key strategic initiatives, including the Qiddiya Stadium and infrastructure developments in preparation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. It also presented a range of high-potential investment opportunities spanning sports clubs, infrastructure, women's sports, sports tourism, and emerging sports technologies. The ministry's involvement underscores its commitment to attracting high-quality investments and fostering international collaborations in high-growth sectors—supporting the Kingdom's economic diversification and positioning Saudi Arabia as a global investment destination. Related Topics : A Top Concern for Voters Worldwide: Is Migration a Serious Problem? King Salman Congratulates Sri Lankan President on National Day Insulators Installed in Farasan Islands Reserve to Protect Birds Saudi FM Takes Part in GCC Ministerial Meeting in Kuwait Short link : Post Views: 5 Related Stories
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Exclusive Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic eyes Saudi Arabia upset and dreams of World Cup
When Bahrain faces Saudi Arabia in a crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday, it is aiming to do more than just end its neighbors hopes of an automatic spot at the tournament. Bahrain has twice suffered heartache at the final hurdle in its bid to play in a maiden FIFA World Cup – losing intercontinental play-offs to Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 and New Zealand in 2010; now, current coach Dragan Talajic is determined to make history for the Gulf nation. On paper, Thursday's clash with Bahrain should be straightforward for Herve Renard's side. Saudi Arabia is a three-time Asian champion with a domestic league that is now watched all over the world – containing some of the planet's finest players. In this season's AFC Champions League Elite, the Kingdom provided both the winner in Al Ahli and the competition's top scorer in Salem al-Dawsari. 'Al-Dawsari is unbelievably talented,' Bahrain coach Talajic told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview. 'He is a strong player, a beautiful attacking player who has been in great form in the Saudi Pro League. 'But we cannot concentrate only on Salem al-Dawsari. Saudi Arabia has very good players, a very good coach and of course a lot of respect from me. But we know what we will try to do to stop al-Dawsari; we have to play like a team to try to control space. Football is a game of 11 against 11.' Despite the apparent disparity between the two nations on the pitch, Bahrain has only lost one of its past six matches against the Green Falcons – a record that stretches back to 2014. Talajic's team held Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in Jeddah last October and then went a step further in December by claiming a 3-2 victory in the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup – a tournament that Bahrain went on to win. The 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw was a particularly special moment for Talajic as it represented a return to Jeddah, a city in which he is fondly remembered. In 2004, the Croatian coach led Al Ittihad to its first ever AFC Champions League title as Talajic and his players overturned a 3-1 first leg defeat to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma – winning 5-0 in South Korea to lift the trophy in spectacular style. 'These are unbelievable memories,' Talajic said of the 2004 final. 'This was a long time ago but really was the start of my journey winning trophies in my career. I am so proud of what we achieved at Al Ittihad. 'Back then I was young and just at the start of my coaching career but we managed to have this incredible result – the 5-0 win, which is still a record [AFC Champions League final score]. I still have a close relationship with Al Ittihad and I am happy to see the team performing well again this year with Benzema.' The AFC Champions League was Talajic's first piece of silverware, but certainly not his last. The 59-year-old has spent much of the past two decades in the Gulf, winning trophies at Al Wahdat in Jordan, and Al Kuwait and Al Khalidya in Bahrain. Most recently, he led the Bahrain national team to only its second Arabian Gulf Cup triumph. 'We went there as underdog because I think this was maybe the strongest ever Gulf Cup; seven of the eight countries are playing in the last round of qualification for the World Cup and all of them had full teams. 'I don't think anybody else thought we would win but I certainly believed we could do it and I'm really proud about what my boys did in this tournament.' On its way to victory, Bahrain beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the group stage – a result that fills Talajic with confidence ahead of this week's World Cup qualifying encounter. 'I think we took Saudi Arabia by surprise then and we will also prepare for this next game in a good way,' Talajic explained. 'The confidence is increasing a lot among the players – not just because of the Gulf Cup but this World Cup qualification too. 'You can see that they are trusting themselves more because we are performing well against these big teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia. A big credit goes to my staff too – I want to thank them because every success we have now is down to them. Of course I make the final decisions but without the whole team, we will do nothing.' Bahrain is currently fifth in Group C, three points behind fourth-placed Indonesia. The teams that finish third and fourth will progress to the Fourth Round of qualifying and while Talajic knows it will not be easy, he insists his players are capable of moving a step closer to a first FIFA World Cup. 'We are in a more difficult situation but our future is in our hands,' Talajic said. 'If we win these next two games against Saudi Arabia and China, we have qualified for the next round. We have our dream and we are in this together. 'We will do our job, do our best and I believe in my boys. I also believe in all the support of Bahraini people and I think we have a beautiful chance to reach the World Cup with Bahrain.'
