KPMG’s playbook for building world-class sports fan experiences in Saudi Arabia
With Saudi Arabia on the cusp of hosting a series of major international sporting events – including the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and FIFA World Cup 2034 – attention is turning to how the Kingdom will deliver on its ambition to become a world-class host. A central part of that challenge lies in building exceptional fan experiences, according to a new report from KPMG.
Over the coming decade, Saudi Arabia is set to host one of the world’s most active calendars of major sporting events. Among the most prominent are the Esports World Cup, AFC Asian Cup 2027, Riyadh Expo, and FIFA World Cup 2034. Beyond these flagship events, the Kingdom’s sports portfolio spans football, Formula 1, boxing, golf, tennis, esports, athletics, and cycling.
“Delivering these events to the highest standard will require a long list of elements to be put in place,” says Shadi Samhan, Partner and Sports Sector Lead at KPMG in the Middle East. “A key part will be creating an exceptional fan experience across the full journey – from early awareness and planning through to the event itself and beyond.”
In its report, ‘Blueprint for the Fan Experience’, KPMG outlines what world-class fan engagement should look like and how Saudi event planners can achieve it. The study draws on KPMG’s proprietary research, as well as global best practices, identifying standards that can be adopted and adapted to the Saudi context.
“Success will depend on developing deeper audience understanding, strengthening coordination across public and private stakeholders, and leveraging the right mix of technology, data, cultural engagement, and human interaction to craft experiences that feel seamless and memorable,” Samhan summarizes.
An end-to-end experience
A key success factor is ensuring that excellence in fan experience is maintained from the very first interaction – such as exploring ticket options – through to the final touchpoint, such as sharing content on social media after the event.
“Every step along this end-to-end journey shapes how fans remember the event, which is why organizers must innovate at every touchpoint to ensure the experience feels smooth, connected, and memorable,” Samhan emphasizes.
He adds that delivering a truly seamless event also means intentionally designing experiences not only for in-person attendees and remote viewers, but also for delegations, teams, and staff members.
A personalized fan offering
A core starting point, according to the report, is recognizing the wide diversity of sports fans and ensuring that each touchpoint is tailored to their expectations. “There is no such thing as an average fan,” Samhan notes.
“Mega sporting events attract audiences with diverse motivations and expectations. To deliver seamless, inclusive, and emotionally resonant experiences, organizers must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and design journeys around clear fan personas.”
Defining personas is critical stresses the report, because it helps clarify who fans are, what motivates them, and how they behave. With this understanding, organizers can design higher-quality experiences that improve satisfaction, engagement, and long-term loyalty. Examples of personas include first-time international visitors, lifelong local supporters, families, and VIP spectators.
Technology as an enabler
Technology is viewed by KPMG as a critical enabler of the entire fan experience. In today’s digital world, fans expect seamless, digitally enabled journeys, and organizers must integrate technology across all touchpoints. This includes unified digital platforms, advanced ticketing systems, and robust data governance to ensure information flows efficiently and accurately.
Another core capability is the use of integrated dashboards that track operational performance and fan satisfaction in real time, treating fan experience not as an abstract concept, but as a measurable and manageable system.
Major event capabilities
A fourth success factor highlighted in the study is the need for organizers to develop the full set of capabilities required to deliver mega events, which are significantly more complex than standard sporting events due to scale, global media attention, risks involved, higher pressure delivery deadlines, and large crowd movements.
Capabilities needed includes logistical expertise, as managing a mega-event requires extensive operational coordination – from venue setup and staffing to transportation, vendor management, and emergency planning – all of which shape the fan journey.
Crowd management and safety are also critical. Mega-event venues face congestion, long queues, and potential safety risks, all of which can significantly affect the overall fan experience.
Other so-called ‘foundational enablers’ for successful delivery include commercial ecosystems, governance and stakeholder alignment, workforce capability, sustainability and ESG integration, and accessibility and inclusion.
From the world to Saudi Arabia
Among the international best practices highlighted in the report are the Paris 2024 Olympics, which featured large-scale drone shows extending beyond stadiums. FIFA+ has introduced augmented reality features that deliver real-time statistics inside stadiums, while IBM’s AI commentator provided multilingual, broadcast-quality narration at the US Open.
Closer to home, Qatar was praised for its Hayya Card system during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which integrated visas, transport, and tickets into a single digital platform.
Commenting on the challenge ahead for Saudi Arabia’s mega-event planners, Samhan says: “Great experiences do not happen by chance. They need to be intentionally designed. The technologies and ideas already exist – the work ahead is assembling them into something coherent, anchored in global experience and adapted to the Saudi context.”
