Business

The World’s Most Expensive Camel? Paul Pogba Enters Saudi Camel Racing in a Landmark Investment Move

Paul Pogba Enters Saudi Camel Racing: A Move Linked to the World’s Most Expensive Camels

The World’s Most Expensive Camel? Paul Pogba Enters Saudi Camel Racing in a Landmark Investment Move

KSA Journal – Sports & Investments

World Cup star Paul Pogba partners with Saudi professional camel racing team Hubub, bringing global attention to a sport rooted in Arabian heritage.

World Cup champion Paul Pogba has officially stepped into one of the Gulf’s oldest and most prestigious sporting traditions: professional camel racing. The French football star has announced a strategic investment and ownership stake in the Saudi camel racing team Hubub, marking one of the most unexpected crossovers between global football and Arabian heritage sports.

The move has triggered wide interest in both the sports and business communities, particularly as Pogba links his name and brand to a sport known for producing some of the world’s most expensive and highly valued racing camels.

A New Frontier: Co-Owner and Global Ambassador

Pogba joins Hubub as a part-owner and global ambassador, with a clear mandate to help elevate camel racing onto the international stage. His involvement comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is accelerating the modernization and professionalization of its heritage sports, with a focus on building global audiences and new commercial structures around them.

According to sources close to the deal, Pogba did not enter this arena lightly. He spent months following camel racing, studying the training systems, performance strategies and technology used across major regional competitions. What began as curiosity evolved into a conviction that camel racing offers a unique mix of culture, competition and commercial potential.

In his comments about the partnership, Pogba has emphasized that sport, at its core, is about passion, sacrifice and identity – and that camel racing embodies all three through its deep roots in Arabian culture and its growing global profile.

Hubub: Saudi Arabia’s First Fully Professional Camel Racing Team

Hubub is among the first teams in the region to approach camel racing with a fully professional structure. The team’s vision goes beyond participation in traditional races; it seeks to build an integrated performance and commercial ecosystem around the sport.

The project focuses on:

Scientific breeding and advanced veterinary care for racing camels
Professional training programs and performance planning
Brand building and sponsorship strategies targeting regional and global partners
Long-term plans for structured leagues and international events

With Pogba’s entry as a high-profile investor and ambassador, Hubub is now positioned to become the first camel racing team with truly international recognition. Industry observers expect this partnership to accelerate new sponsorships, broadcast interest and cross-border collaborations.

Where Heritage Meets High-Value Assets

Camel racing is one of the region’s most historic sports, but it is also increasingly known for the extraordinary economic value it generates. Elite racing camels with the right lineage, performance record and training can be worth millions of dollars, placing them among the world’s most expensive racing assets.

In that sense, Pogba’s move into camel racing is more than a lifestyle or cultural statement; it is also a calculated sports investment. It mirrors global trends where top athletes and celebrities are moving into team ownership and niche sports franchises, from US soccer and Major League Pickleball to racing series and golf leagues.

Yet, unlike many of these ventures, this partnership connects directly to a deep-rooted regional identity, centered around the Arabian camel as both a cultural symbol and a high-performance athlete.

Technology, Tradition and the Future of Camel Racing

Modern camel racing bears little resemblance to the sport as it was practiced decades ago. Today, the sport uses robotic jockeys equipped with remote-control systems, GPS tracking and advanced monitoring tools, enhancing both safety and performance analysis.

Alongside technology, the sport also incorporates:

Data-driven training and race strategy
Professional management teams and commercial departments
Structured race calendars and major prize purses
Growing media coverage and digital viewership

Pogba’s involvement signals growing confidence that camel racing can evolve into a globally watched niche sport, particularly as younger audiences seek new and authentic sports experiences with strong cultural stories behind them.

A Cultural Bridge with Global Impact

The partnership also functions as a cultural bridge. On one side stands a World Cup–winning footballer with a global following; on the other, a sport that has carried the heritage of the Arabian Peninsula for generations.

By tying his name to camel racing, Pogba helps open a new narrative: one in which heritage sports are not only preserved, but also repositioned as global platforms for investment, innovation and storytelling.

For Saudi Arabia, the deal aligns with broader ambitions to showcase local culture in world-class formats, attract foreign partnerships and diversify its sports and entertainment portfolio.

For the global sports business, the message is clear: the next “big story” in sports may not come from a new league in a familiar game, but from a centuries-old discipline now entering the era of professionalization and international capital—and, perhaps, from the world’s next “most expensive camel.”

Business

FLYADEAL ADDS FIVE ROUTES FROM NEW MADINAH BASE

New Year Begins With Addition Of Istanbul And Four Domestic Services

40 Per Cent Rise In Weekly Flights Provides More Travel Options

Madinah, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA – flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing low-cost airline, has rung in the New Year in emphatic style launching five routes from Madinah, its newest operational base in the Kingdom.

The introduction of scheduled flights to Sabiha Gökçen in Istanbul and four domestic cities of Abha, Al Hofuf, Jazan and Tabuk, takes the number of flyadeal destinations from Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport up from three to eight. Until now, flyadeal had served Dammam, Riyadh and the Egyptian capital Cairo from the Holy city.

The capacity hike represents a 40 per cent increase in the number of flyadeal operated flights out of Madinah to 88 a week, giving customers greater travel options. Two aircraft are now permanently positioned at the airport, which joins flyadeal’s three other operational bases of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

To mark the expansion, airport officials joined flyadeal management led by Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Rogier van Enk, for a fanfare of engaging activities celebrating with passengers.

Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve steadily built capacity from Madinah, but this expansion of five new routes at the beginning of the year is a statement of intent from flyadeal to develop Madinah into one of our key operational bases.

“Having aircraft positioned in Madinah gives us the flexibility to quickly upgrade with more frequencies or add routes to a schedule which will continue to be built up giving our customers more choices and convenience of direct flights to travel within the Kingdom and beyond. Madinah was a natural addition as a base given its prominence as the second holiest city in the Islamic world and key gateway for pilgrims.”

The expanded schedule supplements flyadeal’s dedicated year-round Umrah flights from several countries direct to Madinah, north of the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

Rogier van Enk, flyadeal Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, said: “The additional routes aim to cater to both outbound travel for holidaymakers and business travellers living and working in and around Madinah, while also attracting inbound pilgrimages. My commercial team and I look forward to continue working with the authorities at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport to explore more opportunities building air travel connectivity in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”

flyadeal’s additional routes support an already high demand operation from Madinah. Daily Cairo flights are now being served 11 times a week; frequency on the Dammam route is up from 19 to 26 flights each week; and Riyadh maintains a five-times daily schedule.

The new domestic routes serve different parts of the Kingdom – southwest coastal city of Jazan; Tabuk in the northwest; Al Hofuf in the country’s Eastern Province; and Abha in the southwestern mountainous region of Aseer province.

Almost 60 per cent of flyadeal’s 44-strong narrowbody fleet of Airbus A320s is based at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh; 11 aircraft are positioned at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; five at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport; and now two in Madinah.

flyadeal’s growth strategy includes its fleet topping 100 aircraft by 2030 and network more than tripling to over 100 destinations within five years.

Tickets for the new Madinah routes are on sale, bookable via flyadeal’s Mobile App, website www.flyadeal.com and through travel agents.

About flyadeal

On 23 September 2017, National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, flyadeal began operations with its historic maiden flight from Jeddah to Riyadh. A pioneer and innovator, flyadeal was the first regional low-cost airline to be launched only across digital distribution channels. Being the sister airline of full-service national carrier Saudia — both under the umbrella ownership of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation (Saudia Group) — flyadeal was created for the price-conscious and tech-savvy consumer in mind in a market where 80 per cent of the Saudi population is aged less than 40 years and has at least two mobile phones.

flyadeal aims to stimulate travel, tourism and trade with its affordable, value for money everyday fares catering to leisure, religious, family and business travellers. Simplicity is key with an all-Economy Class cabin across flyadeal’s narrowbody fleet. With the Kingdom undergoing dramatic transformation through its Vision 2030 economic diversification drive, aviation and tourism are among the many sectors earmarked for dynamic growth. flyadeal is the fastest growing airline in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Middle East, recognised for excellence in on-time performance that is consistently above the global industry average.

flyadeal operates a young fleet of Airbus A320s flying from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah to destinations across Saudi Arabia with a growing international footprint in Europe, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. The airline has flown over 40 million passengers since its inaugural flight. In May 2024, flyadeal placed its biggest ever order for 51 aircraft – 12 A320neos and 39 larger A321neos – with a delivery schedule beginning in 2027. In addition, flyadeal will operate long-haul scheduled services from 2027 with the phased induction of 10 Airbus A330neo widebody aircraft ordered by Saudia Group in April 2025.

By 2030, flyadeal plans to operate hundreds of routes that will see its fleet more than double and network increase three-fold to over 100 aircraft and destinations, respectively. flyadeal’s aggressive expansion drive makes the rapidly growing airline one of the country’s most desirable companies to work for.

Business

MIDAD REAL ESTATE AND DIRIYAH COMPANY TO CO-DEVELOP LUXURY $827 MILLION FOUR SEASONS HOTEL AND PRIVATE RESIDENCES IN DIRIYAH

The $827 million investment and development agreement marks a significant collaboration, strengthening Midad’s expanding Four Seasons portfolio and luxury development pipeline.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 7 January 2026: Midad Real Estate has signed a strategic investment and development agreement with Diriyah Company to co-develop Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Diriyah on a 235,938-square-meter site in Diriyah, the City of Earth and the Kingdom’s historic and cultural landmark. The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO Diriyah Company, Abdulelah bin Mohammed Al Aiban, President of Midad Real Estate, and a number of executives.

The USD 827 million (SAR 3.1 billion) investment, covering land and construction, underscores Midad’s expertise in luxury hospitality and residential development and its commitment to Vision 2030, driving tourism, investment, job creation, and sustainable economic impact.

Midad Real Estate will lead the development, featuring a 159-room luxury Four Seasons Hotel and private residences, combining world-class service and design to set new standards for luxury hospitality in the Kingdom.

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia and Secretary General of Diriyah Company, said: “Saudi Arabia continues to set new benchmarks in destination development, and Diriyah stands at the forefront of this evolution. Partnerships such as this enhance the Kingdom’s global tourism offering and reinforce our position as a leading destination.”

“This project represents a milestone for Midad, allowing us to bring the Four Seasons experience to one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant heritage destinations. We are excited to deliver a development that exemplifies design excellence, world-class service, and enduring value, while actively contributing to the Kingdom’s tourism, cultural, and economic ambitions.” said Abdulelah bin Mohammed Al Aiban, President of Midad Real Estate.

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO Diriyah Company, commented: “The Four Seasons Hotel Diriyah will be one of our largest luxury hotels and we are proud to announce this joint development agreement with Midad, one of the Kingdom’s leading real estate developers. This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to enabling Saudi partners to participate in Diriyah’s transformational journey and underscores Midad’s confidence in the opportunities the project presents.”

Part of nearly 40 luxury hotels across Diriyah’s masterplans, the highly anticipated project reinforces Midad Real Estate’s expertise in high-end, transformative hospitality and residential developments, shaping the Kingdom’s luxury real estate landscape.

Business

Saudia ranks second globally in on-time arrival performance for 2025

Jeddah: Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, ranked second globally in on-time arrival performance for 2025, according to the independent aviation tracking site Cirium. This marks the second consecutive year that Saudia has achieved this global ranking, recording an on-time arrival rate of 86.53 percent across a total of 202.8 thousand flights operated across its network, which covers more than 100 destinations across four continents.

H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, said: “This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our teams across planning, operations, and flight management. Operational efficiency remains a core pillar of Saudia’s strategic plan and is directly linked to the guest experience, with time being a critical element at every stage of the journey. Our ability to deliver on this is enabled by strong integration among Saudia Group companies, alongside close coordination with key partners in the Kingdom’s aviation sector”.

With 116 new aircraft scheduled for delivery over the coming years, joining Saudia’s current fleet of 149 aircraft, the airline continues to enhance its operational capacity through increased flight frequencies and seat capacity across existing destinations, alongside the launch of new international routes. These efforts are supported by a qualified national workforce and the advanced capabilities of Saudia’s operations building, which oversees flight operations using the latest technologies in the air transport industry.

Saudia’s operational performance aligns with its ongoing efforts to bring the world to the Kingdom by transporting guests and supporting major events hosted across Saudi Arabia, including international forums as well as tourism, entertainment, and sports events. On-time performance remains a key contributor to enhancing the guest experience, complementing the high-quality services and products delivered across both ground and inflight touchpoints.

About Saudia:

Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East’s largest airlines.

Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleet with 149 aircraft. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 26 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia.

A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012.

Saudia was recently named “Best Airline Staff Service” for 2025 by Skytrax and ranked 17th in the global airline rankings. In addition, Saudia ranked first globally for on-time performance (OTP), according to Cirium. Saudia recognized at the APEX World Class 2026 Awards, receiving the “World Class Airline” title for the fifth consecutive year and the “Best in Class: Service–Guest Experience” award for the second consecutive year.

For more information on Saudia, please visit www.saudia.com