New golf course to boost Saudi Arabia's sports, entertainment vision
The course, set along the 200-meter-high cliffs of the Tuwaiq Mountains, is part of Qiddiya's broader push to develop golf infrastructure in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The announcement follows Qiddiya's new global partnership with the Faldo Series, regarded as the world's leading development pathway for young golfers.
The partnership aims to grow the sport in Saudi Arabia and expand youth participation nationally and internationally, the SPA added.
Faldo called the partnership a unique opportunity to help shape one of the world's most ambitious cities, where modern lifestyles blend with sports, entertainment, and culture in an innovative urban model.
He said: 'The collaboration with Qiddiya City brings together one of the world's foremost sporting communities and a vibrant society passionate about discovering new sports experiences.'
The project aligns with Qiddiya's long-term vision to become a premier golf destination in Saudi Arabia, welcoming players of all ages and supporting the next generation of Saudi golfers.
Abdullah Al-Dawood, managing director of Qiddiya Investment Co., said: 'Our partnership with Sir Nick Faldo to design a new golf course, along with becoming the global partner of the Faldo Series, affirms our commitment to supporting golf and nurturing the next generation of Saudi golfers.'
The course will offer a variety of playing options and accommodate all skill levels. Alongside a layout designed to challenge professionals, it will feature evening lighting for night play and structured training programs for beginners. The design blends traditional elements with contemporary, inclusive features to broaden participation.
The larger golf destination will include a clubhouse, extensive training grounds, and an advanced academy developed by Patterson Design. These facilities are tailored to the desert environment, emphasizing sustainability and alignment with global golf standards.
Beyond the sport itself, the site is envisioned as a community hub, featuring fitness and wellness centers, social spaces, indoor and outdoor pools, and a variety of restaurants and cafes.
At the heart of the site, a green-covered structure open to the public will host events and serve as a central gathering space. It will connect the golf club, the multi-use sports and social complex, and the training academy, creating a unified destination for recreation, learning, and community activity.
This distinctive architectural centerpiece will link the three key areas: the golf club as the operational core, a sports and social activity center, and an academy focused on high-level golf instruction and training.
Qiddiya City includes more than 20 master-planned districts focused on entertainment, sports, and culture, along with housing, commercial, and hospitality offerings.
The golf project joins several other high-profile developments under the Qiddiya umbrella, including the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium — expected to host global sports and entertainment events such as the 2034 FIFA World Cup — the Speed Park motorsports venue, Mercedes-AMG World with public racing experiences, and the Performing Arts Center, which will support diverse cultural and creative programming.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Coalition hosts anti-terror finance training in Comoros
The Saudi Arabia-backed Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition has launched a five-day training course in Moroni, Comoros, focused on combating terrorism financing and money laundering. The course aims to equip participants with information on national and international legal frameworks related to these issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. It focuses on skills to analyze financial data and detect suspicious activities, raise public awareness of related risks, and develop effective prevention and coordination mechanisms among regulatory, security, and financial authorities. Participants include representatives from regulatory and judicial bodies, the Ministry of Interior, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, non-financial businesses, and non-profit organizations. The course reflects the coalition's commitment to enhance international cooperation and develop national civil and military competencies to combat these crimes. It also aims to create a professional training environment that fosters integrated and effective systems to combat financial threats linked to terrorism.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
SRMG appoints Nedaa Al-Mubarak as CEO of Media Solutions
RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) has announced the appointment of Nedaa Al-Mubarak as Chief Executive Officer of SRMG Media Solutions (SMS), its performance-driven commercial arm. Al-Mubarak's appointment comes as a step in SRMG's continued transformation and growth strategy, as it expands its focus on outcome-based solutions for partners across the Middle East. In her new role, she will lead SMS's efforts to deliver strategic offerings powered by premium content, advanced adtech, and unmatched access to regional audiences. Leveraging proprietary first-party data and a growing roster of strategic partnerships, SMS serves as the exclusive commercial representative for over 30 SRMG brands, including Asharq News, Arab News, Hia, Sayidaty, Billboard Arabia, Manga Arabia, and Thmanyah, which recently secured exclusive rights to distribute Saudi Pro League content across the region through 2031. These partnerships give advertisers seamless access to over 210 million users worldwide across digital, TV, print, audio, and OOH platforms. Whether targeting finance, tech, sports, or culture, SMS delivers tailored media solutions powered by vertical expertise, proprietary insights, and agile content delivery. 'With SRMG Media Solutions, we've built a future-ready platform that meets the region's evolving media and advertising needs with precision, creativity, and scale,' said Jomana Alrashid, CEO of SRMG. 'Nedaa brings the vision, experience, and ambition to accelerate this next chapter. Her deep understanding of both the public and private sectors, coupled with her performance-first mindset, makes her the right leader to unlock new value for our clients and our business. Al-Mubarak is a forward-looking media executive with a track record of delivering growth and transformation. In her role as Managing Director of SRMG Think, she has helped redefine the group's strategic consulting business, tripling its service lines and more than doubling revenue. With a background spanning investment, tourism, and economic policy, she has led initiatives that contributed to the development and advancement of multiple sectors. At SMS, she will oversee a powerful media solutions platform that spans planning, activation, and optimization - enabling brands to connect with purpose, perform with precision, and scale with impact. Powered by data, insight, and creative execution, SMS delivers smarter, outcome-first campaigns across the full SRMG ecosystem. From high-reach media to curated, vertical-specific solutions, every placement is engineered to convert and built to move the needle. 'The media industry is at a crossroads - and SMS is uniquely positioned to lead the way forward,' said Al-Mubarak. 'Our mission is clear: deliver real outcomes for our partners by combining data, creativity, and technology. I'm proud to take on this role at such a pivotal time, and excited to work with our clients to shape the next era of growth.' SMS is the trusted partner for ambitious businesses looking to drive performance across the Middle East. Its integrated approach fuses audience insight, exclusive content, and digital innovation into measurable results that move the needle.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia leads MENA private equity market in H1: MAGNiTT
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia emerged as the most active private equity market in the Middle East and North Africa during the first half of 2025, accounting for 45 percent of all recorded transactions. According to MAGNiTT's MENA Private Equity Report, the Kingdom posted 13 deals, an 8 percent increase year on year, outpacing the UAE, which recorded 12 transactions, representing a 25 percent annual decline. Combined, the two markets comprised 86 percent of total regional PE deal activity, highlighting their growing dominance in the MENA investment landscape. Overall, the region continued to see a contraction in transaction volumes, with total activity dropping by 38 percent year on year to account for just 29 percent, marking the third consecutive half-year decline. Disclosed deal value dropped only 11 percent from the first half of the year 2024 to $2.88 billion, as capital shifted toward larger, high-conviction investments. 'The MENA region's PE recalibration is being led by scale-ready SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and high-conviction strategies, not withdrawal,' said Farah El-Nahlawi, research department manager at MAGNiTT, adding: 'The growing dominance of $100M+ deals signals a maturing landscape ready to absorb larger pools of capital.' The Kingdom's PE growth aligns with its venture capital growth. According to a separate report by MAGNiTT, Saudi Arabia led MENA VE activity in early 2025, raising $860 million — a 116 percent year-on-year increase — driven by sovereign backing and rising foreign investor interest. The report recorded 114 VC deals in the first half of the year, up 31 percent from the same period in 2024, highlighting the broader momentum across the nation's investment ecosystem and its growing appeal as a capital destination for both private equity and venture capital. Investor activity varied notably among key markets. In Saudi Arabia, 12 out of 13 transactions involved local investors, highlighting strong domestic momentum. In contrast, two-thirds of the UAE's deals — eight out of 12 — were led by international investors, reaffirming the UAE's role as a regional gateway for cross-border capital. The concentration of capital into larger deals was a defining trend. Transactions in the $500 million to $1 billion range rose to 29 percent of the total in the first half of 2025, while $1 billion-plus deals accounted for 14 percent — both the highest shares in five years. At the same time, smaller deals under $50 million dropped to just 14 percent, the lowest level on record. On a value basis, transactions in the $500 million to $1 billion bracket made up 42 percent of disclosed capital, overtaking the $1 billion-plus segment, which declined from 45 percent in 2024 to 36 percent in the first half of 2025. This evolution aligns with broader global investment patterns. According to S&P Global, international PE deal value rose 18.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2025 despite a 6 percent decrease in volume, suggesting an industry-wide pivot toward fewer but more substantial transactions. 'Despite global macro uncertainty, the GCC, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE, continues to demonstrate structural strength and investor confidence,' El Nahlawi said, adding: 'Backed by sovereign support, maturing SMEs, and a favorable regulatory environment, the region is poised to anchor future PE activity.' Beyond the Kingdom and the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Qatar each recorded a single transaction, jointly accounting for the remaining 14 percent of regional activity. Egypt experienced the sharpest drop, with dealings down 89 percent year on year.
