• The Kingdom’s expats will be able to show off their skills while keeping fit
• Program is open to male residents between the age of 24 and 60
• The program run from December 2022 to June 2023

The Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) launched a six-month resident basketball program that will last until June 2023, aiming to meet the needs of basketball fans, stimulate competition, and encourage communities residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to practice the sport.

The first Basketball Program for Residents league began on December 9th, 2022, at Tarbiyah Namouthajiyah International School in Riyadh's Al Rayan neighborhood, with SFA welcoming a diverse group of fans, players, and spectators to launch the program in exciting fashion.

Open to male participants between the age of 24 and 60, over 1,000 players are expected to take part in the program. Taking place from December 2022 to June 2023, basketball matches will be held every Friday as part of an ongoing league, with teams vying for top spot and honors. 

The program will maintain physical fitness, targeting at the same time all residents of the Kingdom, specifically the Filipino nationality who are distinguished by this type of sport. The launch of the Basketball Program for Residents is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. It extends SFA’s work to raise physical activity levels in the country. Crucially, it will help to empower more people to lead healthier, more active, and sustainable lives. 

The new initiative marks another milestone on SFA’s journey to creating a healthier Saudi Arabia. Working closely with the Saudi Arabian Basketball Federation, SFA aims to enhance the Kingdom’s basketball culture and infrastructure. 

The Sports for All Federation, in cooperation with the Saudi Basketball Federation, looks forward to unifying their efforts and launching an innovative program. Both entities will leverage their resources and networks to realize the country’s basketball — and sports — potential, offering access to more basketball experiences, events, and provisions for people and communities to take full advantage of. 

The introduction of the Basketball Program for Residents follows the success of previous and ongoing SFA expat programs. This includes the National Cricket Championship: an initiative set up to encourage and facilitate a healthy and active lifestyle by harnessing the popularity of the beloved bat-and-ball game. In 2020, SFA also joined forces with the Mantra Rays swim team to host a swimming program for young expatriates. Participants, representing 16 different nationalities, took part in the program, competing across six different age groups.