The main building and athlete residence at Saudi Arabia’s Mahd Sports Academy have been officially inaugurated.
Mahd Sports Academy is a major Saudi Arabian government-backed initiative designed to discover, develop and train the country’s next generation of elite athletes.
Launched in July 2020, it is a central part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to develop its domestic sporting infrastructure, improve international sporting performance and establish the Kingdom as a global sporting power.
Its ambition is to create a comprehensive national talent-development system, identifying talented children at an early age and providing them with a pathway towards professional sport and international competition.
His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mahd Sports Academy, inaugurated the Academy’s main building and the athlete residence in Riyadh.
The Minister has said that the goal of the project is to create champions who “grab gold, impress the world, and make their country proud of them.”
Impressive facilities
The main building spans 4,380 square meters and features integrated administrative facilities and a talent discovery lab.
The athlete residence building covers 1,558 square meters and features 54 rooms with a capacity of up to 108 sports talents, with round-the-clock operation and supervision services.
The inauguration of the two buildings comes as part of the Academy’s efforts to strengthen its sports and educational system and provide a stimulating environment that contributes to the development of talents and the preparation of future champions.
Developing future champions
Mahd’s current core sporting disciplines include football, athletics, Judo and Taekwondo.
The principal objectives of the Academy are to:
- Identify sporting talent among Saudi children.
- Provide professional coaching and specialist athletic development.
- Develop athletes across multiple sports, rather than concentrating exclusively on football.
- Provide educational and personal development alongside sporting training.
- Create pathways into professional clubs, national teams and international competition.
- Increase the number of Saudi athletes capable of winning medals at major international events.
Through its talent identification and development programmes, Mahd is seeking to build a sustainable pipeline of Saudi sporting talent and prepare a new generation of athletes capable of competing at the highest level.
Continue following Coliseum for the latest updates on sports venues, stadiums and arena business news worldwide.
Coliseum is dedicated to building a global community of sports and entertainment venue professionals helping create better and more profitable venues.
Become a member of the Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and industry experts from around the world. Apply for membership through the Global Sports Venue Alliance and access the 365Coliseum Business platform.