“We are excited to deliver the greatest tournament in the competition’s history,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sports, exclaimed the this past week, “The kingdom is transforming before our eyes and we are filled with excitement for what it will look like in 2027.”
And with that statement, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that it has won the big to host the Asian Cup in 2027 at the 33rd Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress that was held in the Gulf Convention Centre in Manama, Bahrain.
This doesn’t come as a surprise, because throughout the years we have witness Saudi Arabia making significant investments in sports, as one of the core pillars of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify its economy and promote a more active and healthy lifestyle for its citizens.
With this Asian Cup coming along, the country would add yet another high-profile international sporting event. It has previously hosted the Italian Super Cup, the Formula E electric car racing series, the LIV Gold Tour, WWE wrestling matches, and more.
The Asian Cup to be held this year will be hosted by Qatar, who also made intentional headlines with hosting the World Cup 2023.
With four years passing by, The Asian Cup gets together the top-notch national teams from across Asia to compete for the title of champions. Fun fact: Saudi Arabia has won the AFC Asian Cup title three times.
Announcements of building new sports facilities, such as stadiums and sports centers, have commenced across the country, as well. It has always been the Saudi government’s prerogative to encourage young people to participate in sports, and to invest in the development of local sports talent through programs such as the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee's "Talent, Support, and Development" program.
Of course we have all seen the most recent viral move KSA has made with recruiting world-class soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, to play for the national Saudi team, All Nasser.
By investing in sports, the country aims to position itself as a leading player in the global sports industry, as well as to promote healthy lifestyles and foster a sense of national pride and unity among its citizens.
