This shows Saudi Arabia’s strong ambition to grow cricket. The country has already made a big impact in football.
Saudi Arabia is preparing to welcome the cricketing world with the launch of the World Cricket Festival (WCF), announced in Riyadh by the Cricket Investment Co., the commercial wing of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF), in collaboration with Infinix.
The festival will start in Jeddah in November 2025. It will bring cricket and entertainment together with matches, cultural programs and live shows, beginning a new chapter for the sport in Saudi Arabia.
Former Pakistan spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Yasir Shah, along with former Indian Test cricketer Wasim Jaffer, attended the launch event and praised the SACF for its efforts to grow cricket in Saudi Arabia.
The Foundation Day Cup (F20), previously known as the Saudi Foundation Day T20 Cup, was last played in Dammam in February 2025. From 2026, it will return under the new F20 branding, marking the second edition of Saudi Arabia’s national T20 tournament.
The Gulf Premier League (Soft Ball) will bring together teams from across the Gulf region. It is planned as a fun cricket competition for players who play mainly for enjoyment.
The TX Arabia T10 Tournament is a new league aimed at younger audiences and first time cricket followers. With its quick ten over format, it promises short matches that can capture the attention of a new generation of fans.
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The biggest event of the World Cricket Festival will be the F2 Double Wicket World Cup 2025. 10 international teams will play in pairs. The format will be quicker than T20 cricket and will have new rules like the Super Sub Rule and the Fireball Over. After the matches, fans can enjoy live music for a full day and night experience.
The World Cricket Festival in Jeddah will be a four day spectacle. Organizers project revenues of around 13.75 million US dollars in 2025, with the figure expected to rise to nearly 40 million US dollars by 2028.
Over the next eight months, several tournaments will be held under this plan. This shows Saudi Arabia’s strong ambition to grow cricket. The country has already made a big impact in football. Major investments have brought some of the best players to the Saudi Pro League. The cricket project is part of a wider plan to make the Kingdom a global center for sports and entertainment.
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