Saudi Arabia set to stage World Cricket Festival 2025

Saudi Arabia has made a remarkable move to become a global cricket destination with the announcement of the World Cricket Festival (WCF) 2025, happening this November in Jeddah. The WCF was launched this week at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Riyadh in the presence of HRH Prince Saud Bin Meshal Al-Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF).

The festival is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to expand sports and entertainment opportunities, and at the centre of the WCF is the F2 Double Wicket World Cup with 10 international teams in a unique and fast format. The F2 Double Wicket World Cup introduces new innovations like the Super Sub Rule and the Fireball Over, which will generate excitement beyond regular cricket.

In support of cricket’s growth in the Kingdom, SACF's commercial arm, the Cricket Investment Company (CIC), has partnered with Infinix Holding Ltd, and Infinix has provided the sportswear FIREOX, the official kit sponsor of the Saudi national cricket team since 2022. Organisers expect revenues of SAR 51.6 million in 2025, and revenues could rise to SAR 150 million by 2028, demonstrating the festival's ambition to create a sustainable cricket industry in the Kingdom.

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Saudi Arabia set to host World Cricket Festival 2025 in Jeddah

It is important to note that the WCF will encompass more than just cricket. It will include matches, cultural programs, and live entertainment - future festivals now have a full festival experience. Former international stars, including Saqlain Mushtaq, Yasir Shah, and Wasim Jaffer, were present at the launch, when they were impressed with the efforts of Saudi Arabia to spread cricket into new parts of the world. 

There will be a number of tournaments under the WCF banner, including the Foundation Day Cup (F20), the Gulf Premier League (Soft Ball), the TX Arabia T10 Tournament, and the Saudi Corporate Premier League. They will also collectively attract and engage players at different levels of experience, with both professional cricketers and those with a passion for cricket for the love of the game.

The ambitions of Saudi Arabia represent a wider aspiration for sporting ambitions. Apart from the national football league, the Saudi Pro League has set out to establish the lucrative attraction of global stars to an emerging football reputation, whilst the cricket initiatives set out to put the Kingdom on the global cricket map.

For the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the WCF is the introduction to a new era of the game that offers not only economic benefits, but also socio-cultural duty in the future of sport.