Riyadh Season to Host 2026 Ethnosport Cultural Festival
ISTANBUL, September 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Riyadh Season will host the 2026 Ethnosport Cultural Festival in the Saudi capital in November and sponsor the festival’s 2027 edition in Istanbul, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The agreements were signed on Thursday during a ceremony in Istanbul attended by General Entertainment Authority Board Chairman Turki Alalshikh and World Ethnosport Union President Bilal Erdoğan.
Under the agreements, the festival will take place in Riyadh in November before returning to Istanbul in May 2027 with sponsorship from Riyadh Season.
Organized by the World Ethnosport Union, the annual festival brings together participants from several countries for competitions and activities centered on traditional sports.
Ethnosports include traditional archery, falconry, wrestling and equestrian competitions, along with other sports connected to the cultural practices of different societies.
Alalshikh said the two editions formed part of continued cooperation between Riyadh Season and the World Ethnosport Union.
The organizers will announce the exact dates, program, venue and accompanying activities for the Riyadh edition at a later date.
The Istanbul signing establishes Riyadh as the host of the festival’s 2026 edition while extending the partnership to the event scheduled in Türkiye the following year.
Source: SPA
