Aramco's World Cup sponsorship is expected to add $26.1 billion to the company's corporate value, about 43% of the $61 billion in total corporate value generated across all tournament sponsors, with brand value up roughly $1.08 billion and 2.3% growth, fourth among official sponsors
A leading oil company has proven its ability to drive brand growth through a football tournament, outpacing gains from its traditional extraction activities. This decisive shift highlights the evolving conversation around value and product, demonstrating that companies must adapt to stay relevant.
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Fifty-seven studies, twelfth session
The Riyadh Economic Forum will hold its 12th session on 12–14 October 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, with ministers, public and private sector specialists, academics and business owners participating. The forum has presented more than 57 economic studies over its history, many of which became government initiatives and decisions.
if you want policy input rather than policy news, October is the window. Submissions and positioning happen before the session, not during it, so start now.
Twenty kilometres at Khafji
The Public Investment Fund launched Gulf Coast Development to build an integrated tourism and residential destination at Al-Khafji covering approximately 20 square kilometres with 10 kilometres of Arabian Gulf waterfront. The plan runs to 8 residential neighbourhoods, more than 16,000 housing units and around 1,400 hotel keys across 3 main phases, with 3 neighbourhoods in the first phase completing in 2030, plus public, commercial, tourism and educational facilities and boat marinas, targeting visitors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the wider Gulf.
This project is based on 16,000 homes instead of 1,400 hotel rooms. If you are selling here, focus on residential supply and Kuwaiti buyers from abroad, not on hospitality procurement.
Eleven percent against twenty
PIF launched Tawrid Co. for Financing Solutions, a digital platform connecting buyers, suppliers and funders with products including early settlement against approved invoices, as the Kingdom works to widen SME financing. The Financial Sector Development Program targets raising SMEs' share of bank financing to 20% by 2030, while the latest IMF data show SME loans accounted for 11% of total bank loans in 2025.
Invoice-backed credit is the chosen mechanism to reach 20%, so a finance director at a Saudi SME should prepare payables data instead of another loan application.
