The Most Popular Sports in Saudi Arabia (Top 15 Ranked)

Soccer leads Saudi Arabia, ahead of Camel racing and Falconry. Ranking of 15 sports.

This page ranks the sports of Saudi Arabia by the evidence behind each one, because no single participation, membership, or license figure covering all sports in Saudi Arabia could be identified in this session, so the ranking below rests on qualitative evidence per sport (governing body activity, international hosting record, and heritage status) instead of one comparable number.

Soccer is on top, followed by Camel racing and Falconry. The full table below covers 15 sports, and every section further down names the source for the figure it uses.

The Most Popular Sports in Saudi Arabia

The table counts evidence, not people who say they like a sport. It is the figure that is published the same way for every sport in the list, which is what makes the rows comparable. The reference year is 2026.

#	Sport	Basis for the placing
1	Soccer	Saudi Arabia fields a men’s national team that has qualified for multiple FIFA World Cups, and the domestic Saudi Pro League has attracted large recent international investment and
2	Camel racing	Saudi Press Agency reports annually on the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, describing it as one of the country’s largest traditional sporting events with dedicated racetracks and pr
3	Falconry	Saudi Press Agency covers the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival each year as a major national heritage sporting event organized under the Saudi Falcons Club.
4	Motorsport	Formula 1’s official site lists the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as an annual round of the world championship held on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, and the Dakar Rally has been held in
5	Golf	LIV Golf’s official site describes its tour, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and Saudi Arabia also hosts the Saudi International on the professional golf
6	Esports	The Esports World Cup Foundation, based in Riyadh, has run the Esports World Cup in the Saudi capital as an annual multi game tournament since 2024.
7	Basketball	FIBA lists the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation as its national member federation for the country, overseeing national team competition and domestic league play.
8	Athletics	World Athletics lists the Saudi Arabian Athletics Federation as the national governing body for track and field, entering athletes in Asian and world level competition.
9	Volleyball	Volleyball World lists the Saudi Arabian Volleyball Federation as the national federation responsible for domestic league and national team competition in the country.
10	Handball	The International Handball Federation lists the Saudi Arabian Handball Federation as its national member, with a men’s national team competing in Asian championship qualifiers.
11	Table tennis	The International Table Tennis Federation lists the Saudi Arabian Table Tennis Federation as its national member body for the country.
12	Judo	The International Judo Federation lists the Saudi Arabian Judo Federation as its national member, and Saudi Arabia has sent judoka to the Olympic Games.
13	Swimming	World Aquatics lists the Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation as the national governing body sending competitors to Olympic and Asian level swimming events.
14	Cricket	The International Cricket Council lists the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation as an associate member, reflecting a following built largely around the country’s South Asian expatriate
15	Tennis	The International Tennis Federation lists the Saudi Arabia Tennis Federation as its national member body for the country.

Is There a National Sport of Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia has no national sport laid down by law or by government decision. No law or government decree formally designating a national sport for Saudi Arabia could be identified in this session, so no legally set national sport is reported here.

Camel racing. Camel racing is widely treated as Saudi Arabia’s traditional national sport, reflecting its Bedouin heritage and its status as the country’s oldest continuously organized competitive sport.
Soccer. Soccer functions as Saudi Arabia’s de facto modern national sport by following and government investment, based on the size of the Saudi Pro League and national team support compared with other sports.

Sports That Were Invented in Saudi Arabia

Camel racing. Camel racing traces its origins to Bedouin traditions of the Arabian Peninsula and has been formalized into a modern competitive sport in Saudi Arabia through dedicated racetracks and annual festivals.
Falconry. Falconry developed from Bedouin hunting traditions of the Arabian Peninsula and continues today as an organized competitive sport in Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Falcons Club.

#1 Soccer

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Football Federation
Top national league: Saudi Pro League
Best known athlete: Salem Al-Dawsari. Salem Al-Dawsari scored the winning goal in Saudi Arabia’s 2 to 1 win over Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, one of the most cited results in the country’s sporting history

Soccer is the dominant sport in Saudi Arabia, organized nationally by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation through a domestic Pro League and a men’s national team that has reached the FIFA World Cup several times.

The sport receives the largest share of public attention and government backed investment of any discipline in the country, and its matches routinely draw the biggest domestic broadcast and stadium audiences.

Latest Posts about Soccer

#2 Camel racing

Governing body: Saudi Camel Racing Federation
Top national league: King Abdulaziz Camel Festival

Camel racing is one of the oldest organized sports in Saudi Arabia, rooted in Bedouin tradition and run today through dedicated racetracks and federation sanctioned events across the country.

The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is the highest profile annual event for the sport, drawing large fields of competing camels and substantial prize money reported by state media each season.

#3 Falconry

Governing body: Saudi Falcons Club
Top national league: King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival

Falconry holds a deep cultural and sporting status in Saudi Arabia, practiced through hunting and competitive events organized by the Saudi Falcons Club.

The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is the sport’s central annual competition, bringing together falconers from across the country and the wider region to compete for recognition and prizes.

#4 Motorsport

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation
Top national league: Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Best known athlete: Yazeed Al-Rajhi. Yazeed Al-Rajhi is a Saudi rally driver who has finished on the podium at the Dakar Rally, the country’s best known result in international motorsport competition

Motorsport has grown into a high profile sport in Saudi Arabia since the country began hosting Formula 1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah and the Dakar Rally starting in 2020.

The events are treated as major national occasions with heavy government promotion, and they have raised the visibility of Saudi competitors such as rally driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi.

#5 Golf

Governing body: Saudi Golf Federation
Top national league: LIV Golf
Best known athlete: Othman Almulla. Othman Almulla is a Saudi professional golfer who has represented the country in the Saudi International and on international professional tours, among the first Saudi nationals to do so

Golf has expanded rapidly in Saudi Arabia through Public Investment Fund backing of the LIV Golf tour and the annual Saudi International tournament held in the country.

The Saudi Golf Federation has been building domestic infrastructure and junior programs alongside the international events, with players such as Othman Almulla representing Saudi Arabia in professional competition.

Latest Posts about Golf

#6 Esports

Governing body: Saudi Esports Federation
Top national league: Esports World Cup
Best known athlete: Mosaad Al-Dossary. Mosaad Al-Dossary, known as Msdossary, is a Saudi esports competitor who has won multiple FIFA and EA Sports FC world championship titles, among the most recognized Saudi names in competitive gaming

Esports has become a fast growing competitive sport in Saudi Arabia, backed by state investment through the Savvy Games Group and organized domestically by the Saudi Esports Federation.

Riyadh has hosted the Esports World Cup as an annual multi game tournament since 2024, and Saudi players such as Mosaad Al-Dossary have won world titles in individual game competitions.

#7 Basketball

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation

Basketball is organized nationally in Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation, which runs a domestic league and fields national teams in regional FIBA competition.

The sport has a long standing school and club base in the country, though it has not reached the international profile of soccer or the newly promoted motorsport and golf events.

Latest Posts about Basketball

#8 Athletics

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Athletics Federation

Athletics is organized in Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Arabian Athletics Federation, which sends competitors to Asian championships and world level meets under World Athletics.

The sport has a smaller domestic following than soccer or the country’s newly hosted international events, but it remains part of the school and club sport system.

Latest Posts about Athletics

#9 Volleyball

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Volleyball Federation

Volleyball is played through school, club, and national team programs run by the Saudi Arabian Volleyball Federation.

The men’s national team competes in Asian federation events, and the sport has a steady but smaller following compared with soccer and the country’s major hosted international events.

Latest Posts about Volleyball

#10 Handball

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Handball Federation

Handball is organized nationally through the Saudi Arabian Handball Federation, which runs a domestic league feeding the men’s national team.

The national team takes part in Asian championship qualifying, though the sport draws a smaller following in Saudi Arabia than soccer or the country’s flagship hosted events.

Latest Posts about Handball

#11 Table tennis

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Table Tennis Federation

Table tennis is organized through school and club competition under the Saudi Arabian Table Tennis Federation.

The sport is played across the country at recreational and club level, with national team entries in regional International Table Tennis Federation events.

Latest Posts about Table Tennis

#12 Judo

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Judo Federation
Best known athlete: Tahani Alqahtani. Tahani Alqahtani is one of the first Saudi women to compete in judo at the Olympic Games, taking part in the plus 78 kilogram category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Judo is organized nationally through the Saudi Arabian Judo Federation, an International Judo Federation member body.

Saudi Arabia has sent judoka to recent Olympic Games, including Tahani Alqahtani, one of the country’s first female Olympic competitors in the sport.

Latest Posts about Judo

#13 Swimming

Governing body: Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation

Swimming is organized through the Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation, which enters competitors in Olympic qualifying and Asian championship events.

The sport is practiced mainly through school and club programs, with a smaller public following than the country’s major team and hosted international sports.

Latest Posts about Swimming

#14 Cricket

Governing body: Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation

Cricket has a substantial following in Saudi Arabia driven mainly by the large South Asian expatriate community rather than by Saudi nationals.

Club and league matches run under the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation, an International Cricket Council associate member, with growing domestic tournament activity in recent years.

#15 Tennis

Governing body: Saudi Arabia Tennis Federation

Tennis is organized through the Saudi Arabia Tennis Federation, which runs domestic competition and national team entries in International Tennis Federation events.

The sport has expanded in recent years alongside broader investment in Saudi sporting infrastructure, though it remains smaller in following than soccer, camel racing, or the country’s hosted international events.

Latest Posts about Tennis

Sources

Figures on this page come from national federations and statistics offices and are only as current as their latest published report. Last reviewed: August 2026.

FAQ

What is the most popular sport in Saudi Arabia?

Soccer is considered the most popular sport in Saudi Arabia, organized by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation through the Saudi Pro League and a national team that has reached the FIFA World Cup. It draws the largest following and investment of any sport in the country.

What is the national sport of Saudi Arabia?

No law or government decree formally naming a national sport for Saudi Arabia was found. Camel racing is widely treated as the country’s traditional national sport because of its Bedouin heritage, while soccer functions as the de facto modern national sport by following and investment.

What sports are popular in Saudi Arabia?

Beyond soccer, camel racing and falconry hold major traditional status, and Saudi Arabia has built a strong international profile in motorsport through the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the Dakar Rally, in golf through LIV Golf and the Saudi International, and in esports through the Riyadh based Esports World Cup.

Is esports popular in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. Riyadh has hosted the Esports World Cup as an annual multi game tournament since 2024, backed by state investment through the Savvy Games Group, and Saudi player Mosaad Al-Dossary has won multiple FIFA and EA Sports FC world championship titles.

What is Saudi Arabia’s traditional sport?

Camel racing and falconry are Saudi Arabia’s leading traditional sports, both rooted in Bedouin practices of the Arabian Peninsula. Both are staged today through Saudi Press Agency covered annual events, the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival and the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival.