Riyadiya
This November, join Riyadiya — a new regional initiative shaping the future of women’s sports in MENA. Spotlight bold talent, drive structural change, and build a more inclusive and influential sports landscape.
From Visibility to Systems Change
Women’s sport in MENA is no longer only a visibility story. Participation is growing, athletes are breaking barriers, and commercial interest is increasing. But momentum alone does not build a sustainable ecosystem. Riyadiya exists to move the conversation from inspiration to implementation.
Launched as a regional platform for women in sport, Riyadiya brings together athletes, policymakers, federations, investors, sponsors, media, academics, and sport institutions to address the structural questions shaping the future of women’s sport in the region.
The 2026 edition marks Riyadiya’s evolution from a conference into a year-round impact platform: one that identifies barriers, convenes closed-door Action Groups, develops practical outputs, and tracks progress over time.
Launched as a regional platform for women in sport, Riyadiya brings together athletes, policymakers, federations, investors, sponsors, media, academics, and sport institutions to address the structural questions shaping the future of women’s sport in the region.
The 2026 edition marks Riyadiya’s evolution from a conference into a year-round impact platform: one that identifies barriers, convenes closed-door Action Groups, develops practical outputs, and tracks progress over time.
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Why Riyadiya Matters
A Women In Sports Conference Series
Women’s sport is one of the fastest-growing areas in the global sport economy.
Yet across MENA, the ecosystem remains uneven:
◦ Data is fragmented.
◦ Professional pathways are not always visible.
◦ Investment is often treated as CSR rather than market opportunity.
◦ Athlete transition support remains limited.
◦ Governance, safeguarding, leadership, and commercial structures are still developing.
Riyadiya addresses this gap by creating a recurring regional mechanism for evidence, dialogue, partnership, and accountability.
Its purpose is not only to celebrate women in sport, but to help build the systems that allow them to enter, progress, lead, invest, and remain in sport over time.
Yet across MENA, the ecosystem remains uneven:
◦ Data is fragmented.
◦ Professional pathways are not always visible.
◦ Investment is often treated as CSR rather than market opportunity.
◦ Athlete transition support remains limited.
◦ Governance, safeguarding, leadership, and commercial structures are still developing.
Riyadiya addresses this gap by creating a recurring regional mechanism for evidence, dialogue, partnership, and accountability.
Its purpose is not only to celebrate women in sport, but to help build the systems that allow them to enter, progress, lead, invest, and remain in sport over time.
Riyadiya's Objectives
Riyadiya operates through an annual impact cycle:
Action Groups
Closed-door working sessions with selected leaders across sport, policy, investment, academia, media, and athlete development. These groups identify structural barriers, test ideas, and shape practical outputs before the main conference.
Riyadiya Conference
A regional convening where insights from the Action Groups are brought into public dialogue, priorities are socialised, and selected outputs, partnerships, and commitments are launched.
Impact Outputs
Each Riyadiya cycle is designed to produce practical tools that can support institutions, federations, sponsors, policymakers, and sport leaders. These may include evidence frameworks, sponsorship playbooks, pathway models, transition frameworks, or benchmark concepts.
Continuity & Accountability
Riyadiya tracks progress from one year to the next, creating a platform that does not end when the conference closes. The ambition is to build a recurring evidence base and a clearer record of what is moving, what is stuck, and what still requires coordinated action.
Explore The Panel Topics
Data & Evidence
Building a stronger evidence base for women’s sport, including indicators, data governance, benchmarking, and measurement.
Capital & Governance
Understanding what is needed for sponsors, investors, clubs, federations, and public institutions to treat women’s sport as a credible and investable opportunity.
Unlocking Capital
Exploring how girls and women enter sport, progress through it, and build careers as athletes, coaches, referees, administrators, founders, media professionals, and leaders.
Legacy & Impact
Defining what long-term impact looks like beyond visibility, and how women can remain connected to sport through leadership, mentorship, governance, entrepreneurship, media, and community influence.
Panelists to be announced soon...
Who Riyadiya Is For
Public
Sector
Sector
Sports
Clubs
Clubs
Athletes
Private
Sector
Sector
Academia
Media
NGOs
Shaping the Future of Women Sports in MENA
◦ Government & public-sector institutions
◦ Sports federations, leagues, clubs, and committees
◦ Elite and former female athletes
◦ Sponsors, investors, and private-sector leaders
◦ Academics, researchers, and data partners
◦ Media, content platforms, and storytellers
◦ NGOs, foundations, and women-enabling institutions
◦ Sport entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders
◦ Sports federations, leagues, clubs, and committees
◦ Elite and former female athletes
◦ Sponsors, investors, and private-sector leaders
◦ Academics, researchers, and data partners
◦ Media, content platforms, and storytellers
◦ NGOs, foundations, and women-enabling institutions
◦ Sport entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders
Why Partner With Riyadiya
Riyadiya offers partners more than event visibility. It offers a role in shaping the future of women’s sport in the region.
Partners can contribute to the platform by supporting evidence, convening decision-makers, shaping practical outputs, activating campaigns, backing pilots, and helping translate discussion into action.
A Riyadiya partner is not only a sponsor of a conference. A Riyadiya partner is part of a regional platform committed to building better systems for women’s sport.
Partners can contribute to the platform by supporting evidence, convening decision-makers, shaping practical outputs, activating campaigns, backing pilots, and helping translate discussion into action.
A Riyadiya partner is not only a sponsor of a conference. A Riyadiya partner is part of a regional platform committed to building better systems for women’s sport.
2026 Direction
In 2026, Riyadiya will move from identifying barriers to shaping practical outputs.
The second Action Group cycle will refine priorities ahead of the Riyadiya Conference in November in Doha, Qatar, where selected outputs and recommendations will be presented.
The ambition is clear: to build a regional platform that helps women’s sport in MENA move from momentum to measurable progress.
The second Action Group cycle will refine priorities ahead of the Riyadiya Conference in November in Doha, Qatar, where selected outputs and recommendations will be presented.
The ambition is clear: to build a regional platform that helps women’s sport in MENA move from momentum to measurable progress.
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