Riyadh – Gulf Tech
Today, Saudi Arabia hosted a signing ceremony in Riyadh to announce that the city will be the host of the 2028 TAFISA World Games. This marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time the World Games will be held in the Middle East and North Africa region. Organized by The Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), the TAFISA World Games is the largest global community sporting event.
The signing ceremony was held at the Culture Palace in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, in the presence of distinguished guests, including SFA President HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, TAFISA President Mr. Wolfgang Baumann, H.E Mr. Bader Alkadi, Vice Minister of Sports, SFA Managing Director Shaima Al-Husseini, Sports Sector Development Manager at Royal Commission for Riyadh City Turki Bin Oudah, Secretary-General of the International Sports for All Organization Mr. Janis Sodernik, the Secretary-General of TAFISA, Mr. Jean-François Laurent, and Jacqueline Kronenburg, TAFISA Board member.
Saudi Arabia was elected to host the TAFISA Games, the “Olympics of community sports,” after receiving 171 “yes” votes from the TAFISA General Assembly. With Riyadh now set to stage the 2028 World Games, the Kingdom will bring men, women, and diverse groups and cultures together to experience the many benefits of physical activity by exploring and taking part in a wide range of entertainment, events, and activities that will be held in public parks, shopping centers, schools, and a variety of locations over the course of the week-long tournament. Several government and private sector entities will support and participate in this event.
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal Saud, Minister of Sports, said: “I would like to thank King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for their commitment to supporting the sports sector and their blessing to host the TAFISA games. We welcome people, communities, and sports fans from across the world to our beautiful city of Riyadh. We are confident that this will be a one-of-a-kind experience that immerses participants in the joy of sport: a unique global community event that will help transform the Kingdom into one of the most welcoming sports destinations in the world.”
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, President of the Saudi Sports for All Federation, said, “We are pleased to be working closely with the Ministry of Sports, the Saudi Olympic and paralympic Committee, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and the International Sports for All Organization (TAFISA) to bring this incredible event to life. This transformational tournament is set to attract more than 70,000 participants from 100 countries and represents a leap forward for the Kingdom, distinguishing us on the global stage as a burgeoning international community sports hub. In addition to enriching the lives of citizens and residents in Saudi, the 2028 TAFISA World Games will support our work to realize the goals of Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life program.”
“The event will add to our ongoing efforts to offer even greater access to outstanding sporting experiences, facilities, and engagements. We aim to empower communities across the Kingdom to be as active and healthy as possible,” Prince Khaled continued, underlining the importance of the Ministry of Sports’ support to hosting the 2028 TAFISA World Games. Prince Khaled emphasized the integral role that the Quality of Life Program and Vision 2030, alongside the SFA’s extensive network of governmental partners, have all played in the Kingdom’s success in activating community sports.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) played a pivotal role in supporting the TAFISA 2028 Riyadh bid, which was presented by the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA). This exciting event will highlight Riyadh’s growing reputation as a global sports hub and showcase the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting physical activity and wellness for all.
Riyadh is already well-equipped to host major global events and is currently investing in a massive sports and wellbeing infrastructure to further bolster its position. This includes projects like Sports Boulevard, Qiddiya, King Salman Park, and Green Riyadh, which will create a sustainable sports sector economy and elevate Riyadh to one of the world’s top cities, offering visitors and residents a rich blend of wellness, culture, and entertainment.
The announcement of Riyadh as the host city for the 2028 TAFISA World Games follows the Saudi Sports for All Federation’s (SFA) participation in the 27th TAFISA World Congress in Slovenia in June 2022. As part of the SFA’s ongoing commitment to expanding its regional and international partnerships and building bridges of cooperation, the Federation continues to collaborate with TAFISA and other organizations to promote community sports and foster a global culture of wellness.
