Streaming-first audiences, shortform storytelling, remote production and global distribution are reshaping the sports media landscape in the Middle East and North Africa. With deep local partnerships and decades of international experience, IMG’s studios business is helping the region’s rightsholders seize the opportunity.
A shifting media landscape
The Gulf and the wider region are transforming how sport is produced, distributed and consumed. Audiences across the Middle East are no longer bound by the traditional broadcast model. Fans are streaming matches on OTT platforms such as Shahid or Starzplay, tuning into watch-alongs on WatchAlong+ and catching highlights on TikTok.
This audience shift is forcing rightsholders, broadcasters and producers to think differently about every piece of content they create. And it’s where IMG, along with its studios business, is playing a decisive role.
Short form as a front-row seat
For younger audiences, 90 minutes of football or a multi-hour esports stream often isn’t the entry point. Instead, it’s a 15-second highlight or a snappy reel shared on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok. These formats are rapidly changing how sport is consumed and produced.
IMG has been quick to apply lessons from its global portfolio to the region, drawing on experience producing content for the Premier League and MLS. By building workflows that allow near-instant clipping and multi-language packaging, IMG helps rightsholders generate content that fits the habits of the region's social-first fanbase. For partners, it means their product doesn’t just exist as live moments but lives on across platforms where audiences spend their time.
Remote production, local impact
Another defining trend is the move towards remote production. Around the world, centralised operations are cutting costs and relying on remote production services. This means fewer trucks, facilities and people on site and technology that sends content back to a central hub, increasing efficiency and ensuring consistency across events. Rightsholders in the Middle East and North Africa are now embracing this approach, assisted by major partnerships such as IMG’s five-year deal with the Saudi Pro League and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
IMG’s approach to remote production, as proven with other globally resonant leagues, enables multiple matches to be produced on the same day, with unified graphics, centralised quality control and seamless storytelling. The goal is to be able to provide this service in Saudi Arabia.
Importantly, IMG’s model is not just about technology; it’s about people. Partnering with Riyadh-based Alamiya Media, IMG has committed to training and developing Saudi production talent. Local crews now work side by side with international experts on major fixtures, building the skills base that will power the region’s broadcast future at a time when the kingdom is diversifying its economy as part of Vision 2030.
Expanding the region’s reach
Producing great content is one piece of the puzzle. Making sure it reaches fans worldwide is another area where IMG plays a crucial role.
In 2025, the Saudi Pro League renewed its international media rights deal with IMG for another four years, and last season the league was broadcast in more than 184 countries across 43 platforms, including ESPN in Africa, DAZN in Europe, Fox Sports in the Americas and Globo in Brazil. For the SPL, production and distribution work hand in hand and result in a premium on-screen product complemented by global availability.
The same principle applies to other regional properties IMG supports. At the Saudi Cup, the world’s most valuable horse race, IMG produces the world feed and supporting programming such as The Golden Hour, a culturally oriented magazine show, carried by more than 30 broadcasters in 170 territories. Meanwhile, through its long-term partnership with the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation, IMG manages global media rights and sponsorship, helping the tournament and its organisers secure new partners and audiences well beyond the region.
New formats for new audiences
Perhaps the boldest example of innovation is the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh. Here, IMG partnered with the EWC Foundation to create and produce EWC Spotlight, a two-hour live studio show blending match highlights, celebrity guests and explainer content aimed at mainstream audiences.
With AR graphics, drone shots and roaming cameras in a custom-built Boulevard City studio, the production was designed to feel as dynamic as the tournament action itself. And by packaging esports in a way that appeals to core fans as well as newcomers, IMG demonstrated how regional events can become global entertainment moments.
Global lessons, local execution
What makes IMG’s role unique is the way it translates global experience into local value. IMG’s studios business has produced for the Premier League for two decades, covering 180-plus territories; modernised coverage for the English Football League across 72 clubs; built bilingual coverage for Major League Soccer’s Season Pass on Apple; and delivered an award-winning UEFA Champions League show for CBS.
These experiences provide the playbook for what’s now happening in MENA: scalable production, multi-language feeds, and premium social storytelling that’s turned around fast. With presence in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and active partnerships across Saudi Arabia, IMG is embedding that expertise locally while developing the region’s own capabilities.
The road ahead
For the UAE and its neighbours, the direction is clear. Audiences are digital, their attention is fragmented and the expectation for quality is higher than ever. To compete, rightsholders need content that is consistent, versatile, globally relevant and locally resonant.
IMG’s strategy in the Middle East and North Africa is built to solve that exact equation: global craft plus local capability. By investing in technology, distribution and, crucially, talent, IMG is helping ensure the region’s productions are world-leading.
As the region’s sports calendar continues to grow, so will its role on the world stage. And if recent partnerships are any indication, IMG will remain at the heart of that journey, bridging audiences, cultures and platforms to tell MENA’s sporting stories to the world.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
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It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
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%3Cp%3E%22Whatever%20the%20initial%20intent%2C%20what%20took%20place%20at%20many%20of%20these%20gatherings%20and%20the%3Cbr%3Eway%20in%20which%20they%20developed%20was%20not%20in%20line%20with%20Covid%20guidance%20at%20the%20time.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22Many%20of%20these%20events%20should%20not%20have%20been%20allowed%20to%20happen.%20It%20is%20also%20the%20case%20that%20some%20of%20the%3Cbr%3Emore%20junior%20civil%20servants%20believed%20that%20their%20involvement%20in%20some%20of%20these%20events%20was%20permitted%20given%20the%20attendance%20of%20senior%20leaders.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22The%20senior%20leadership%20at%20the%20centre%2C%20both%20political%20and%20official%2C%20must%20bear%20responsibility%20for%20this%20culture.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20found%20that%20some%20staff%20had%20witnessed%20or%20been%20subjected%20to%20behaviours%20at%20work%20which%20they%20had%20felt%20concerned%20about%20but%20at%20times%20felt%20unable%20to%20raise%20properly.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%22I%20was%20made%20aware%20of%20multiple%20examples%20of%20a%20lack%20of%20respect%20and%20poor%20treatment%20of%20security%20and%20cleaning%20staff.%20This%20was%20unacceptable.%22%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
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Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
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The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
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9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
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The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
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Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdam%20Wingard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBrian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Rebecca%20Hall%2C%20Dan%20Stevens%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
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Company%20profile
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Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
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