from left, IEG Middle East commercial and managing directors, Gavin Baxter and Rachel Chatham, IEG president Maurizio Ermeti, the director of Sport at the Saudi Ministry of Investment, Basim K. Ibrahim, and Francesco Santa, CEO IEG Middle East and IEG international business development director

Saudi Arabia’s New Fitness Event Gets It Right from the Start!

Posted by Betty Tűndik February 11, 2025

At its first edition, the Riyadh Active Industry, Riyadh Muscle Show, and Riyadh Active Exhibition event, organized by IEG Arabia, part of the IEG Group (Italian Exhibition Group), is already a leader within the Kingdom. During two activity-packed days (8th and 9th February), the event dedicated to wellness and fitness saw 10,000 professionals, buyers, enthusiasts, and competition participants. Numerous leading brands have reconfirmed their participation in the 2026 edition.

The appointment kicked off with a pre-opening attended by 120 sector leaders and guests of honor Naif Aldossary, consultant at the Saudi Ministry of Sport, and Basim K. Ibrahim, Director of Sport at the Ministry of Investment. IEG President, Maurizio Ermeti, was also in Riyadh for the new event.

“We are already at work for the 2026 edition,” said Francesco Santa, IEG’s International Business Development Director, “We will increase from two days to three and aim at doubling the number of visitors and tripling the space to 20,000 square meters.” All between 5th and 7th February 2026, in the ROSHN Front and under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sport, in cooperation with Supporting Partners and the Ministry of Investment.

This edition of Riyadh Active Industry featured top names and distributors in the wellness and fitness industry, such as Panatta, Wellness First, Delta Fitness, Al Hayat Investments, and Matrix. The Industry Talks, Women in Fitness Forum, and the Kingdom Roundtable were followed by hundreds of operators.

At the Riyadh Muscle Show, thanks to the Saudi Bodybuilding Federation, under the patronage of the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, 300 competitors took part in the “Kingdom Championships”, the Kingdom’s most important national bodybuilding finals. The interactive presence of exhibitors, including Applied Nutrition, Dr Nutrition, and C4, helped create an electrifying atmosphere and generate the unique Muscle Show experience.

Lastly, the Riyadh Active segment, presented by Subway, featured well-known fitness personalities Heba Ali and Hana Basrawi among thousands of attendees. Brands such as Grenade, Lululemon, Gymnation, and Les Mills, then played a key role in bringing the fitness community together.

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