Ashraf Abo Arafe
In an event to be held for the first time in the most ambitious city in the world, the new Saudi city of NEOM will witness the launch of the first International Beach Championship with the participation of six international teams. The first group will be Saudi Arabia, China and Egypt,but the second one will be Oman, England and United Arab Emirates.
The competition starts with the UAE against England and then Saudi Arabia against China. Egypt and China will meet tomorrow with Oman and the UAE, and the Greens will end their confrontations against Egypt. Oman will play against England and the games will be played on Saturday.
The teams will compete in an “accredited by the FIFA”, on the pristine beaches of “Qayal” in the area of NEOM. The tournament will be accompanied by three other beach events during the same period, all of which will be held in Qail, namely: the 50th World Cup for water skiing, rugby and tennis.
This is the second time that sports activities and sporting events have been held after the bold sports events of late April, which saw jumping in winged jackets and mountain climbing.
NEOM is a tourist destination built entirely to attract dreamers and elite minds around the world. It will be home to new sectors and incubator of future technologies to form a major economic power and a leading center for global investment.
“The team looks forward to the day when NEOM will host a wide range of bold sports to become a world center for sports enthusiasts and excitement seekers, and an international sports center that embraces the world’s most important tournaments in all areas,” said Jason Harborough, Head of the Future Sports Sector in NEOM.
NEOM seeks to be a global center of sport, unites its communities, paints a healthy lifestyle and contributes to its innovative economy. The region has important characteristics, notably the strategic location that allows it to be the meeting point of the Arab region, Asia, Africa, Europe and America. The region lies northwest of the kingdom on an area of about 26,500 km 2. NEOM overlooks the north and west of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba with coasts of more than 450 km, and is surrounded by the mountains in the east height of 2,500 m, in addition to moderate temperatures.
