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Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Monday held a signing ceremony in Riyadh to announce that the city had won the right to host the 2028 TAFISA World Games.

It will be the first time The Association For International Sport for All global event has been staged in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Organized by the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), the TAFISA tournament is the largest global community sporting event.

TAFISA was established in 1991 as the Trim and Fitness International Sport for All Association, but in 2009 changed to its current name.

Saudi Arabia was elected to host the games, dubbed the Olympics of community sports, after receiving 171 “yes” votes from TAFISA general assembly members.

With Riyadh now set to stage the 2028 games, the Kingdom will bring men, women, and diverse groups and cultures together to experience the many benefits of physical activity by exploring and taking part in a wide range of entertainment, events, and activities that will be held in public parks, shopping centers, schools, and a variety of locations over the course of the week-long tournament.

Several government and private-sector entities will support and participate in the event.

Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said: “I would like to thank King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their commitment to supporting the sports sector and their blessing to host the TAFISA games.

“We welcome people, communities, and sports fans from across the world to our beautiful city of Riyadh.

“We are confident that this will be a one-of-a-kind experience that immerses participants in the joy of sport: A unique global community event that will help transform the Kingdom into one of the most welcoming sports destinations in the world.”

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City played a pivotal role in supporting the TAFISA 2028 Riyadh bid, which was presented by the SFA. The gathering will put the spotlight on Riyadh’s growing reputation as a global sports hub and showcase the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting physical activity and wellness for all.

SFA president, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, said: “We are pleased to be working closely with the Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and the international sports for all organization (TAFISA) to bring this incredible event to life.

“This transformational tournament is set to attract more than 70,000 participants from 100 countries and represents a leap forward for the Kingdom, distinguishing us on the global stage as a burgeoning international community sports hub.

“In addition to enriching the lives of citizens and residents in Saudi, the 2028 TAFISA World Games will support our work to realize the goals of Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program.

“The event will add to our ongoing efforts to offer even greater access to outstanding sporting experiences, facilities, and engagements. We aim to empower communities across the Kingdom to be as active and healthy as possible,” Prince Khaled added.

He noted the importance of the ministry’s support to hosting the games and pointed out the integral role that the Quality of Life Program and Vision 2030, alongside the SFA’s extensive network of governmental partners, had all played in the Kingdom’s success in activating community sports.

Riyadh is already well-equipped to host major global events and is currently investing in a huge sports and wellbeing infrastructure to further bolster its position.

This includes projects such as Sports Boulevard, Qiddiya, King Salman Park, and Green Riyadh, which will create a sustainable sports sector economy and elevate Riyadh to one of the world’s top cities, offering visitors and residents a rich blend of wellness, culture, and entertainment.

The announcement of Riyadh as host for the 2028 TAFISA World Games followed the SFA’s participation in the 27th TAFISA World Congress in Slovenia in June last year.

As part of the SFA’s ongoing commitment to expanding its regional and international partnerships and building bridges of cooperation, the federation has continued to collaborate with TAFISA and other organizations to promote community sports and foster a global culture of wellness.