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Sports Academies: The Best Path to Forge Future Champions

Dr. Abdullah Sadiq Dahlan

Date of publication: July 5, 2026 23:03 KSA

When we examine successful sports experiences around the world, we realize that champions are not born by chance, and championships are not achieved solely by signing star players, no matter how technically skilled they are, but are built through a long-term national project that begins with discovering talent at an early age, then nurturing it scientifically, athletically, and psychologically until it reaches the highest professional levels. From this perspective, I believe the next phase of Saudi sports development should focus on producing champions within the country, rather than just recruiting them from abroad.

The Kingdom has achieved an unprecedented qualitative leap in the sports sector in recent years, becoming a destination for major global tournaments, attracting a selection of the most famous athletes, and making sports one of the promising economic sectors contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. These achievements are commendable, but maintaining this momentum and turning it into global leadership requires moving to a deeper phase, whose title is "Making Saudi stars" capable of competing in the largest international forums. Therefore, I believe that among the most important requirements for the next phase is obligating all professional clubs to establish accredited sports academies that are not limited to football but extend to various individual and team sports such as swimming, athletics, gymnastics, tennis, equestrian, basketball, handball, and others. Global experiences have proven that diversifying sports expands the talent discovery base and increases opportunities for Olympic and world achievements.

A sports academy is not just training grounds; it is an integrated institution concerned with building the person before the player. It includes qualified coaches, sports doctors, nutritionists, physical preparation experts, sports psychology specialists, and performance analysts using the latest technologies, in addition to providing educational programs that ensure the continuity of academic attainment for the student-athlete, making professionalism part of building a balanced personality capable of success both on and off the field. Advanced international experiences confirm that sporting success is not achieved by increasing spending on the first team alone, but starts with the talented child and building an integrated system that provides a suitable environment for growth and development. I believe that the Kingdom today possesses all the components to become one of the leading countries in this field: government support is unprecedented, sports facilities are among the best globally, the private sector has become a key partner in development, and Saudi society has a broad youth base rich in talents. What we need is a unified national framework to organize these efforts and turn them into a sustainable strategic project. Among the ideas I believe are worth studying is establishing a National Authority for Sports Academies, which would set accreditation standards, oversee program quality, qualify coaches, measure performance, and ensure equal opportunities across different regions of the Kingdom. I also propose creating a specialized Saudi institute for training sports coaches, because a talented player cannot reach their full potential unless they find a coach capable of discovering and developing them according to the latest scientific methods. It is also important to build a strategic partnership between academies and the Ministry of Education, so that schools become the first station for discovering sports talents, while academies develop and refine them. This approach could be supported by creating a national league for academies for age groups from 10 to 18 years, serving as a continuous competitive platform to monitor player development and select the best elements for national teams. Furthermore, incentivizing the private sector to invest in sports academies through regulatory advantages and investment incentives will help expand the participation base, just as happened in the education and health sectors, and will create an integrated sports industry that provides jobs, supports the national economy, and enhances the Kingdom's position as a global sports destination.

A talented player is a national treasure no less valuable than a distinguished researcher or a promising innovator. If we want to see the Saudi flag constantly flying over the podiums at the World Cup, Olympic Games, and continental championships, the real beginning will not be from full stands or giant stadiums, but from academies that embrace the talented child and give them the opportunity to become a champion representing their country with pride. Investing in sports academies is not just spending on sports; it is an investment in the Saudi citizen, in their health, in the economy, and in the Kingdom's international standing. Champions are not made by chance; they are made by clear vision, sound planning, and institutions that believe building the future begins with discovering talent today. Also worthy of study is a national initiative to convert private sports clubs established through individual efforts into accredited sports academies, through funding programs, support, and strategic partnerships led by the relevant authorities, with active participation from the Public Investment Fund. This initiative would leverage existing infrastructure, expand the base for discovering Saudi talents, and provide a professional path starting from childhood and continuing through youth, contributing to preparing a new generation of athletes capable of representing the Kingdom in various international forums.

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