The commercial sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed remarkable growth in activities related to quality of life, as the latest official data revealed a qualitative leap in the number of commercial registrations for sports academies and the entertainment sector during the last quarter of 2025. This growth comes as a direct reflection of the economic and social movement that the Kingdom is witnessing within the objectives of Vision 2030.
Rapid growth in sports academies
According to the Ministry of Commerce's business sector bulletin for the fourth quarter of 2025, the activity of sports academies saw a significant increase of 30%, with the total number of active commercial registrations reaching 3,700, compared to 2,832 in the same period of the previous year. The Riyadh region led with 1,668 registrations, followed by Makkah with 959, and the Eastern Province with 445. Madinah and Qassim recorded 179 and 132 registrations, respectively.
The context of growth and its economic importance
These figures cannot be viewed in isolation from the strategic transformations being spearheaded by the Kingdom, where the Quality of Life Program plays a pivotal role in stimulating private sector investment in sports. This growing interest in establishing sports academies is attributed to increased public awareness of the importance of physical activity, coupled with significant government support aimed at discovering sporting talent at a young age, thus creating an attractive investment environment for entrepreneurs and investors in this field.
Revival of the entertainment events sector
In parallel with the sports activity, the entertainment sector continued its upward trajectory, as the operation of entertainment event facilities recorded a growth of 20% during the fourth quarter of 2025. The number of commercial registrations in this sector reached 10,402, compared to 8,672 in the last quarter of 2024. Riyadh had the largest share with 4,947 registrations, followed by Makkah with 2,962 registrations, and the Eastern Province with 1,001 registrations.
Developmental and investment impact
This growth in commercial registrations reflects the strength of the Kingdom's investment environment and its ability to generate new opportunities, particularly in the service and entertainment sectors, which are a cornerstone of diversifying non-oil revenue sources. The expansion of these activities also contributes to creating thousands of job opportunities for young men and women and enhances the position of Saudi cities as attractive destinations for tourism and entertainment at both the regional and international levels, especially with the continued hosting of entertainment seasons and global events in the Kingdom.
