RIYADH — As the 2026 international sporting calendar intensifies across the Kingdom, new data from the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) highlights a systemic shift in the nation’s athletic demographic. Since the launch of Vision 2030, female participation in sports has increased by 149%, a metric that officials say underscores the success of grassroots initiatives and institutional reform.
Recent figures released in the Saudi Arabia Sports Business & Tech Report and supported by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) records indicate that more than 330,000 girls are now registered across various sports federations. This growth is anchored by the Schools League, which currently involves over 70,000 female students. The infrastructure supporting this surge has expanded to include 37 national women’s teams and over 400 women’s clubs nationwide.
The rise in participation is not limited to amateur play. Under the National Sports Strategy, the Ministry of Sport has allocated a budget of SAR 2.6 billion for the development of sporting federations, with a specific focus on creating professional pathways. Assistant Minister for Sport Affairs, Adwa Al-Arifi, recently noted at the Sports Investment Forum that there are now 97 certified female coaches and a growing cadre of female referees operating within the Saudi professional ecosystem.
These metrics represent more than social change; they are a core component of the Kingdom’s economic strategy. The sports sector’s contribution to non-oil GDP is projected to reach 3% by 2030, supported by the creation of an estimated 100,000 new jobs. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has played a critical role in this transition, investing over $7 billion in sports entities and infrastructure between 2020 and 2025.
The impact of these investments is visible in high-performance results. Following the formation of the national women’s football team in 2021, the Kingdom has hosted major international fixtures, including the WTA Finals and the Women’s World Tennis Final. As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and looks toward the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the integration of women into the sports economy remains a cornerstone of the “Sport for All” mandate, aiming for a 40% physical activity rate across the entire population by 2030.