VMPL
Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], September 9: Saudi Arabia officially launched the World Cricket Festival (WCF) 2025, its most ambitious sporting and cultural initiative yet. The launch ceremony, hosted at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Riyadh, gathered senior officials, international sporting figures, and industry leaders to unveil the vision behind the landmark event.
Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's investment in cricket is part of a wider Vision 2030 strategy to establish the Kingdom as a global hub for sport and entertainment. Significant resources are being directed toward diversifying the economy, engaging youth, and attracting international events. Alongside football, Formula 1, boxing, and tennis, cricket is now a priority -- reflecting both its global reach and its strong connection to the Kingdom's expatriate community.
Saudi Arabia is preparing for its biggest cricket moment yet. In November 2025, the Kingdom will host the World Cricket Festival (WCF) in Jeddah -- a first-of-its-kind four-day spectacle that combines international cricket with concerts, cultural showcases, and family entertainment.
The Cricket Investment Company (CIC), the commercial arm of the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation (SACF), has been established to accelerate the development and commercialization of cricket in the Kingdom. CIC will work hand-in-hand with strategic partners like Infinix Holding Ltd, to grow the game from the grassroots level, expand participation, and build pathways for local talent to strengthen the national team.
Aligned with Vision 2030, CIC's mission extends beyond commercial value--it seeks to enhance quality of life, foster community engagement, and position Saudi Arabia as a rising destination for cricket. As an enabler and strategic partner, CIC is committed to unlocking the sport's potential while ensuring it leaves a lasting social and cultural impact across the Kingdom.
HRH Prince Saud Bin Meshal Al-Saud, Chairman of SACF, welcomed the partnership:
"The partnership aligns with our core objectives as a federation. We are working on developing the game at its grassroot levels by creating opportunity, professional set-up, and a better quality of life for everyone involved in the sport in Saudi Arabia. It is a natural alliance with vision 2030"
The festival's centerpiece will be the F2 Double Wicket World Cup, featuring 10 international teams in a unique two-player format. Matches will be fast and unpredictable, with innovations such as the Super Sub rule and the Fireball over, designed to create dramatic highlights for live fans and global streaming audiences. By night, the event will transform into a music and cultural festival with headline performers, making WCF a full "day-and-night" experience.
Financially, WCF is projected to generate SAR 51.6 million in its debut year, with long-term valuation targets beyond SAR 150 million by 2028. More than a tournament, it positions Saudi Arabia as a new home for world cricket -- uniting sport, culture, and commerce on a scale the Kingdom has never seen before.
The partnership between Infinix Holding Ltd and CIC is not limited to the World Cricket Festival. Over the next 18 months, a slate of flagship franchise-based leagues will roll out across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC, creating a year-round calendar of professional and community events:
1. F2: Double Wicket World Cup - Launching at WCF in November 2025, with 10 international teams.
2. TX Arabia (10 Over Cricket) - A high-energy 10-over league designed for younger audiences and festival appeal.
3. SCPL (Saudi Corporate Premier League) - Cricket tailored for corporations and business houses, blending competition with business networking.
4. F20: (Foundation Day Cup) - Returning in early 2026 for its second season as Saudi's national T20 tournament.
5. GPL (Gulf Premier League - Soft Ball Edition) - A mass-participation soft-ball league designed to capture the Gulf's huge recreational cricket community.
Together, these initiatives form a year-round cricket program -- from grassroots participation to global festivals -- ensuring Saudi Arabia is not just hosting one-off spectacles but building a sustainable cricket industry.
Infinix Holding Ltd through TurboCat Solutions, delivered its first success in February 2025 with the Saudi Foundation Day Cup, in collaboration with Axis United Trading Co. The nine-day T20 tournament was the Kingdom's first large-scale cricket event, streamed live worldwide and featuring international stars. It proved that cricket can succeed in Saudi Arabia as both a sport and an entertainment product.
Infinix Holding Ltd, led by CEO Waqqas Alvi, built its cricket journey on FIREOX, an activewear and sports equipment brand with a global footprint. Established in 2018, FIREOX has since become a trusted name in performance sportswear, now shipping to 56 countries worldwide. Since 2022, FIREOX has also been the official kit provider of the Saudi national cricket team, cementing its role at the heart of the Kingdom's cricket story. The brand equips leading teams in Saudi Arabia and Doha, while continuing to expand across the GCC.
From this base, Infinix Holding Ltd is creating a broader cricket economy. Its initiatives include FIRE Set Go (fan engagement and ticketing), CricArabia (regional cricket media), and #BeTheNext (talent discovery) -- programs designed to connect grassroots players with professional pathways and global events.
"FIREOX began as a bold idea and has become a global brand," said Waqqas Alvi, CEO of Infinix Holding Ltd. "From outfitting the Saudi national team to reaching athletes in more than 50 countries, FIREOX is proof that Saudi-led brands can compete globally. Now, with our events and digital platforms, we're taking the same ambition to cricket itself -- building not just a sport, but a movement."
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