Saudi Arabia Names 11 Olympic Podium Sports
Saudi Arabia has narrowed its Olympic and Paralympic high-performance plan to focus on 11 designated "podium sports" as the main route to future medals. The strategy was presented during a periodic sports sector conference held at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex in the Kingdom's capital.
The 11 priority sports are athletics, judo, taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu, swimming, weightlifting, shooting, equestrian, fencing, and wrestling. Officials said the aim is to move away from occasional participation and a handful of medals toward consistent podium success in international competition over the long term.
The reasoning behind the focus is that medal success is rarely spread evenly across all sports. Concentrating resources on a smaller group is intended to maximize medal returns, particularly in the run-up to major multi-sport events the Kingdom is set to host. Officials stressed that this is priority targeting rather than neglect, and that other sports will continue to receive support and participation opportunities.
Targets and talent pipeline
In the short term, the plan is linked to upcoming multi-sport events, with a realistic medal target in the range of 9 to 12 medals mentioned publicly for the next Asian Games. For the next Olympic cycle, the Kingdom plans to send 144 athletes across 19 sports, with 48% of the delegation under 23 years old, plus an additional 44 athletes competing in other events.
The approach is aligned with Saudi Arabia's wider ambition around the Asian Games in the Kingdom's capital in 2034, seen as a milestone toward becoming a regular medal-winning nation and a leading host of major multi-sport events. For residents and sports fans, the strategy signals expanded investment in training, youth development, and international competition across the coming years.
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