By Izabella Rekiel
High Five is The Saudi Times’ weekly look at five sports stories, developments and events shaping the Kingdom’s sporting landscape. From emerging talent and grassroots programmes to international stars, technology and homegrown competition, each week we look at what’s happening, why it matters and what to watch next.
1. Team Saudi make history at the Asian Games in Japan
Dina Mustafa won bronze in the women’s 68kg karate event, becoming the first Saudi woman to win an Asian Games medal. The 22 year old fought back from 3-0 down to defeat Nepal’s Arika Gurung in a 8-7 victory.
Another bronze medal for Team Saudi was claimed by Saud Al-Bashir, who finished third in the men’s 60kg karate category after defeating Nepal’s Min Bahadur Temang. Mohammed Al-Dubaisi added to the bronze tally, in the men’s hammer throw.
Sanad Sufyani won the silver medal in the men’s over 84 kg kumite karate competition, narrowly missing the top spot after being defeated 6-3 by Iran’s Mahmoud Nemati.
Naif Al Faleh secured Saudi’s second silver medal in the Gran Turismo 7 event, one of the esports competitions during the Asian Games.
The men’s U23 football team are going home after an elimination by Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals.
Why it matters: Dina’s medal is a landmark moment for women’s sport in Saudi Arabia, her story creating a viral moment across social media channels both at home and abroad. The four podium finishes at the Games give an early boost for the delegation who are competing in 19 sports.
What’s next : The Games continue on till October 4th with Team Saudi set to compete in athletics, equestrian, basketball, esports, weightlifting, taekwondo, shooting, squash, fencing and swimming.
2. Khaleeji 27 kicks off in Jeddah
The 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, or Khaleeji 27, kicked off in Jeddah this week. Eight Gulf nations are brought together for the tournament’s first edition to be hosted in the city. Running from September 23 to October 6, the competition is being staged across Alinma Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium.
The Kingdom opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Kuwait on Wednesday 23 – fittingly when the nation was celebrating National Day. They will face Oman on September 26 before meeting Iraq in their final group stage match on September 29.
Why it matters : Beyond the regional rivalry, the tournament gives Saudi Arabia its first competitive test under head coach George Donis , who was appointed to the role in April 2026. It provides an opportunity to assess new players ahead of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
On a wider perspective – the competition provides a live test of processes including event coordination, accreditation, transport, venue operations, logistics and stakeholder management for the Local Organising Committee (LOC) who are overseeing the tournament’s administrative and operational delivery.
What’s next: KSA faces Oman on September 26, with the group stage continuing through September 29. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 3, followed by the final on October 6.
3. Rally Raid Champions head to Rallye du Maroc
The 2026 Rallye du Maroc gets underway next week. The Prologue stage is set for September 28, with the rally stages underway from September 29 to October 3. The rally – considered among the off-road industry as the dress rehearsal before the Dakar Rally – will cross terrain between Agadir and Zagora in Morocco. The penultimate round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship will see Saudi drivers Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dania Akeel compete in the Ultimate category with Overdrive Racing.
Dania is the reigning FIA Middle East Baja Champion and currently third in the standings for 2026 FIA Baja Cup in the Ultimate category. Yazeed historically became the first national from the host country to win the Dakar Rally in their category on home soil earlier in 2026.
Also to watch is Yasir Seaidan who will compete in the Stock Category. Yasir is the 2024 FIA World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) winner in the SSV category. He is competing now in the Stock category after becoming the first Saudi driver to sign a factory team seat, for the TLC Toyota Auto Body team.
Yazeed is temporarily switching co-drivers after Timo Gottschalk, his long time partner who won the coveted Dakar Rally with the Saudi driver, fractured ribs following a motorcycle accident and is still in recovery. American Dennis Zenz will be taking over roadbook duties.
Why it matters: Morocco is one of the key events on the rally-raid calendar and comes just months after the World Rally-Raid Championship visited Saudi Arabia. For the Saudi competitors, it is another opportunity to compete against the world’s leading rally-raid drivers ahead of the 2027 Dakar Rally.
What’s next : The FIA Middle East Baja calendar is scheduled for October 28 with Qatar International Baja and will conclude with Dubai International Baja in November. At the time of writing, FIA have confirmed both races will go ahead despite geopolitical concerns. These will be important races for Dania, who is defending her champion crown.
4. The Women’s Premier League takes shape
The 2026-2027 Saudi Women’s Premier League (WPL) enters its fourth round this week, with the early season table taking shape. Al Qadisiyah from Al Kohabr currently leads with nine points, followed by both of Jeddah’s teams Al Ittihad on six points and Al Ahli on four.
This weekend, Al Hilal hosts Qatif’s Al-Taraji on September 26, white the next round begins on October 1 with AlUla hosting Al Hilal. The league features eight clubs competing across 56 matches, with the season running through a home-and-away format.
MBC Group holds the exclusive MENA broadcast rights for the Women’s Premier League through the 2026-27 season, with matches available on Shahid and selected fixtures broadcast on MBC Action.
Why it matters: The WPL is now entering its fifth season and forms the top tier of Saudi women’s domestic football. The continued expansion of the competition provides another indicator of how the women’s game is becoming a more established part of the Kingdom’s sporting calendar.
What’s next : As the league builds its audience through expanded broadcast coverage, the next stage will be translating that visibility into a greater commercial value. From sponsorship and brand partnerships to a larger audience for women’s football.
Al Qadisiyah’s women’s team sits within a club that has been building a substantial commercial partnership portfolio with some of those partnerships including Adidas and Dar wa Emaar covering the women’s team.
5. Saudi sport’s investment ecosystem comes into focus
The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) will bring together professionals from the sports, esports, entertainment and events sectors at the Federation of the Saudi Chambers in Riyadh on September 28 for a networking event focused on the business side of Saudi sport. Attendance is free but requires prior registration.
The evening will feature presentations from representatives of the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of Investment (MISA) and the Saudi Equestrian Authority, including Basim Ibrahim, Sport Investments Director at MISA and the Secretary General of the Saudi Equestrian Authority – His Excellency Eng. Abdullah Al-Asiri.
Why it matters: While Saudi Arabia’s sporting transformation is often viewed through major competitions, and headline events, the investment infrastructure supporting the sector is becoming increasingly important. Bringing together government investment bodies, sports authorities and private-sector professionals provides a window into the opportunities being developed across sport, esports, entertainment and events.
