Riyadh - Saudi Arabia
His Excellency Counselor Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al Sheikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, announced that the Riyadh Season will host the Ethnosport Festival for Traditional Sports in its 2026 edition, which will be held next November in the capital, Riyadh, in addition to the Riyadh Season’s sponsorship of the 2027 edition of the festival, which will be held in May 2027 in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Signing agreements in Istanbul

This came during a signing ceremony held in Istanbul, in the presence of His Excellency Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh, and President of the World Ethnosport Federation, Bilal Erdogan, where agreements were signed related to hosting the 2026 edition in Riyadh, and sponsoring the 2027 edition in Istanbul.

Al-Sheikh stressed that the festival will provide a unique experience for visitors, explaining:

“Hosting the Ethnosport Festival in Riyadh next November will bring a big surprise to the public...and what has been announced represents the beginning of more cooperation during the coming period.”

Sports have an extensive history
The festival is organized by the World Ethnosport Federation, and brings together participants from a number of countries around the world in various competitions and experiences of traditional sports, as part of an international event that is held annually and attracts audiences of all ages. These sports include traditional archery, falconry, wrestling, equestrian sports, and other competitions that are linked to the cultures of the peoples.

An international extension of the Riyadh season

Hosting the festival in Riyadh represents an extension of the Riyadh Season’s attraction to various international events and experiences, while its sponsorship of the 2027 edition in Istanbul enhances the international presence of the Riyadh Season, and the reach of its brand to new audiences and markets around the world.

A new destination that combines entertainment, culture and sports
For Arab tourists, the Ethnosport Festival adds a new destination that combines entertainment, culture and sports in Riyadh next November, suitable for families and those looking for different experiences. The Istanbul 2027 edition also provides an opportunity for a trip that combines the pleasure of viewing and discovering the city, which enhances sports tourism options in the region and opens investment horizons for the private sector in the sectors of hospitality, organization, and events related to this type of sports.