The premium Spanish professional football competition, LALIGA has landed a partnership with Visit Saudi.
Following this development, the top-flight football from Spain has announced Visit Saudi as the official travel destination of LALIGA. Via this association, the two parties involved aim to display Saudi Arabia, the home of Arabia, as the most intriguing destination.
The arrangement will also enhance Visit Saudi’s effort in displaying Saudi Arabia as one of the most sought-after destinations consisting of rich culture and heritage. The collaboration is built upon the attachment between LALIGA and Saudi Arabia as the Spanish competition has been extensively followed in the West Asian country.
Iker Casillas, LALIGA ambassador, said, “The great development of sport and sporting events in Saudi Arabia represents a real boost to the attractiveness of the destination, adding to its cultural interest and amazing landscapes. We are sure that this new partnership will be a success in connecting and attracting both football and sports fans in general, as well as new followers.”
Óscar Mayo, LALIGA Executive Director, said, “Signing this agreement demonstrates our strong commitment to advancing sports and football science in the Arab world, as well as expanding our presence, and that of our clubs, in a relevant global sports hub. I am convinced that this remarkable partnership will truly touch fans’ emotions and empower them to feel the unifying power of football. Football and travel complement each other perfectly, serving as a means to connect and unite cultures all over the world.”
Fahd Hamidaddin, Saudi Tourism Authority CEO, said, “Football and travel bridge cultures and unite people. Saudi Arabia has millions of incredibly passionate football fans and as we continue to create a dynamic year-round destination, full of cultural events, we look forward to welcoming international travellers to experience the largest sporting and cultural exchange in sporting history, helping us in bringing the world to Saudi and bringing Saudi to the world.”
The newly unveiled partnership will collectively feature Saudi Arabia’s exceptional tourism offerings, attracting individuals from varied cultures from all around the globe. Multiple intriguing brand activations, high-profile launch events and several campaigns taking place inside the Kingdom.
In addition, the lucrative association also features sponsorship pacts, curation of digital content, consumer events and fruitful collaborations.
The rise of Saudi Arabia as a football-playing nation has been remarkable in recent times. It all started with the country beating the football giant Argentina at the biggest football stage possible, Qatar World Cup 2022. The historic victory was followed by the arrival of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia’s top-flight football tournament, Saudi Pro League (SPL). Ronaldo joined hands with Al Nassr. The 38-year-old footballer’s grand reception gathered eyeballs from all around the globe, which helped get multiple lucrative sponsorship deals for the competition along with onboarding renowned athletes from the European football tournaments. The most recent player to join SPL was the Brazilian, Neymar Jr. The 31-year-old was signed by Al Hilal for a roughly annual salary of $100 million along with mouthwatering perks throughout his stay in Saudi Arabia.
The growing popularity of SPL, especially in India, has helped the competition bag Sony Sports Network as its official broadcaster for the upcoming two seasons.