The United Kingdom has announced additional military support for Saudi Arabia, including the deployment of Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to conduct defensive missions amid escalating Houthi attacks in the region.

The aircraft will undertake defensive counter-air operations aimed at protecting Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure from missiles and drones, according to a UK government statement.

The British government stressed that the Typhoon jets would operate exclusively in a defensive role and would not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis.

The announcement comes amid heightened regional security concerns following attacks targeting Saudi infrastructure, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

UK expands military support for Saudi Arabia

Alongside the fighter jets, the UK will provide an RAF A400M transport aircraft to support the movement of defence equipment within Saudi Arabia.

British military advisers will also be deployed to assist Saudi staff officers.

The latest measures build on the UK’s existing military support for the kingdom, which includes air defence equipment designed to protect against missile and drone attacks.

The UK will also extend its air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi defensive air operations, including operations aimed at degrading Houthi military targets in Yemen that threaten Saudi and Yemeni populations.

The government said the additional assistance was intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s ability to respond to aerial threats and protect essential infrastructure.

UK condemns attacks on Riyadh airport

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting condemned the continuing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilian infrastructure.

“The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable. The targeting of the airport in Riyadh in particular shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region.

“That’s why today I have approved further UK military support. RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles. This builds on the UK equipment and personnel we already have in the country to defend against Houthi air attacks.”

The UK government said Saudi Arabia and Yemen had the right to defend themselves against attacks, while expressing concern about the humanitarian impact of escalating violence.

In Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, a lot of football is played on a screen. Games analyst Niko Partners puts the number of gamers across the three countries at about 70 million, playing roughly 10 hours a week. Their favourite genre is sports. Football titles such as EA Sports FC and eFootball account for 70 to 80 per cent of all sports-game play, and sports gamers are the most likely of any group to follow esports.

Riyadh has already shown how big that audience can get. The 2025 Esports World Cup paid out more than $70m in prize money, drew 750 million viewers and brought 3 million visitors to Boulevard Riyadh City.

In the same entertainment district, at Cool Arena, Kings League MENA is trying something different. The football is real: seven players a side, two 20-minute halves, played on an actual pitch. But the rulebook reads as if a game designer wrote it. Secret cards unlock in-match advantages. Team presidents can step on and take a penalty. And the creators who own the teams stream every match live on Twitch, Kick, YouTube and TikTok, chatting with fans as it unfolds.

The format started in Barcelona in 2022, when former Spain defender Gerard Piqué teamed up with streamer and esports caster Ibai Llanos. The regional edition is a joint venture between Kings League and SURJ Sports Investment, a Public Investment Fund company. It is now in its first full season. Split 1 is running at Cool Arena from September 18 to October 30, with 10 teams from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar.

Running it is Wael Al-Fayez, former chief commercial officer of the Saudi Pro League, who became Kings League MENA’s first managing director in September.

He told Gulf Business why the league is built for the region’s gamers, what its streamer-presidents bring, and where he wants it to go next.
Built for the swipe-up generation

Al-Fayez doesn’t pitch Kings League as football with gimmicks. He pitches it as football rebuilt around how young people already spend their time.
“Kings League is sport redesigned for the ‘swipe-up’ generation, that has grown up with mobile devices and social media, and consumes sport and entertainment differently: through creators, live interaction, short-form content and community participation,” he says. The seven-a-side format, the rulebook and the mobile-first distribution are all designed around those habits.

Gaming sits at the centre of that picture. “With the growth of esports, gaming and the creator economy, younger audiences do not necessarily separate sport from digital entertainment,” he says. “They move naturally between these different worlds, which aligns closely with how Kings League is designed and distributed.”
He puts the size of that audience at roughly 140 million people under 30 across the Arab world. “The younger generations in the Arab world – approximately 140 million people are under the age of 30 across this region – already live at the intersection of football, gaming, streaming and digital content,” he says. “Kings League brings those worlds together uniquely and compellingly.”

And he thinks the region has everything the format needs. “The MENA region has the perfect ingredients for Kings League: huge passion for football, a young population, a booming creator economy, massive engagement with digital content, and an openness to new products and experiences.”

Riyadh as the home ground
Saudi Arabia is the obvious base. Al-Fayez points out that the kingdom has hosted more than 100 major international sporting events since 2018 and is preparing for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. It is also building itself into an entertainment and gaming centre through Riyadh Season and the Esports World Cup.
“MENA is developing one of the world’s most dynamic sports economies, with significant investment in digital, technology-led and next-generation sports experiences,” he says. “And it is so exciting for Kings League MENA to be a part of this wave, driving the region’s sports entertainment sector forward.”

The joint venture with SURJ Sports Investment is what lets the league act on it. Al-Fayez says it pairs Kings League’s experience of rolling out and running competitions with SURJ’s regional knowledge, strategic guidance and relationships, “allowing us to build a competition that is locally relevant and globally connected.”

The numbers that sold it
The test came a year ago. The eight-team Kings Cup MENA kicked off on October 24, 2025, over five days at Boulevard Riyadh City, as part of Riyadh Season. “The success of last year’s Kings Cup MENA validated the model for the region,” Al-Fayez says. “The opening matchday had more than 2 million live streaming viewers. Our social media content generated 717 million impressions (July-December 2025). And the online queue to buy tickets for the arena reached 40,000 at one point – when we were only selling 1,300 tickets per session.”

The league is now in seven major markets: Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, MENA and Spain. It also runs two international tournaments. “Young audiences around the world have shown incredible appetite for the concept, and we have very high ambitions for what we can do in MENA,” he says.

He is careful not to frame any of this as a threat to the traditional game. “We see Kings League as complementary to the traditional game – which remains incredibly strong across the region – giving fans a thrilling new way to experience football,” he says. “This is particularly the case for younger fans who, as we know, are getting harder and harder to reach with traditional platforms and formats.”

Streamers in the boardroom
If the rules are the game mechanics, the presidents are the players everyone came to watch. Each team is led by a creator, and Al-Fayez calls this “one of the most unique and impactful dynamics in Kings League.”

“They are more than merely recognisable faces attached to teams – they are team owners, community builders and cultural connectors who actively shape their teams’ identities, personalities and fanbases,” he says.

The biggest of them came up through gaming. AboFlah, president of ABO FC, built his following on gaming videos and was named YouTube’s top creator in MENA in 2021. Al-Fayez calls him “the biggest YouTuber in the Arab world.”

Split 1 has added more names. There are now three Saudi presidents: Drb7h, Abdulrahman Al Shehri and RAED. German creator Younes Zarou, who has Moroccan heritage and, Al-Fayez says, more than 110 million followers, is co-president of FC Bakhira. Two Jordan national team players, Yazan Al Neimat and Ali Olwan, are co-presidents of 3BS and Red Zone.

What they bring is an audience that is already watching. The presidents stream matches on their own channels on TikTok, YouTube, Twitch and Kick, and fans talk to them in the chat while the game is on.

“Younger audiences today do not only want to watch matches; they want to follow personalities, interact live, create and share content, and feel part of a community,” Al-Fayez says. “Our presidents make that relationship immediate and authentic.”
“We believe that presenting football in this way, and working with content creators, will ultimately only grow the overall football audience and keep young fans connected to the sport.”

Game rules, real football
The rule everyone talks about is the President Penalty, which lets a team president walk onto the pitch and take a spot kick. “These moments connect the content creators that lead our teams directly with the action, and create moments of real sporting drama that can change the result of a game,” Al-Fayez says.
But he insists the twists sit on top of serious football. “But although the Kings League rules are innovative, the sporting competition is very real. Our players are elite-level seven-a-side players.”

The reigning champions, DR7, led by Saudi creator Drb7h, have several Saudi national futsal team players in the squad, including Nawaf Arwan and Abdullah Alaqeeli. “All our teams are playing to win, with real intensity, as anyone who comes to Cool Arena will see,” he says. The league runs with professional-level structures, regulations and refereeing.

Fans who can’t get into the arena have options. Matches stream live on the presidents’ personal channels and on Kings League’s official social accounts, and broadcast partner MBC Group shows them on MBC Action and Shahid.

Brands that like to break the rules
That young, online audience is also the commercial pitch. “Kings League MENA offers brands a distinctive way to connect with a young, digitally engaged audience through football, creators, entertainment and culture – 70 per cent of the Kings League MENA audience is aged 18-34,” Al-Fayez says.

The other draw is freedom. “We are not restricted by the regulations of traditional sports and can be very creative,” he says. In Spain, Netflix sent a S.W.A.T. team onto the pitch and had Chris Hemsworth throw the dice at half-time to promote a film. In Italy, a “thief” invaded the pitch and stole the match ball, a stunt for Crédit Agricole’s personal items insurance. “These activations add another layer of fun and entertainment to the fan experience.”

The MENA partners include adidas, Badael, Red Bull, Vox and Webook, along with broadcast partner MBC Action/Shahid and joint venture partner SURJ Sports Investment.

Level up
For now, the focus is this season. “It is a privilege to take on this role at such an important moment for Kings League MENA,” Al-Fayez says. “The success of the 2025 Kings Cup MENA demonstrated huge demand for that product in this region, and we now have an opportunity to convert that momentum into long-term growth.”
“My immediate priority is to deliver an outstanding Split 1.” The league has grown from eight teams to 10, and its first full championship season runs over 11 matchdays and 51 matches.

Beyond that, the ambition is permanence. “Our ambition is for Kings League MENA to become an established and highly anticipated part of the region’s sports and entertainment calendar,” he says. He wants to build “a large and loyal audience by consistently delivering an outstanding product: real competition, compelling content, and a next-generation sports entertainment experience that resonates authentically with young fans across the region.”

That audience is meant to pay the bills through sponsorship, media rights, ticketing, licensing, merchandising and digital partnerships.

He also wants MENA teams to win on the global stage. They have already started. This summer, DR7 beat Los Troncos, then the reigning world club champions, at the Kings World Cup Clubs in Italy.

“Ultimately, Kings League MENA should become a platform through which regional talent, football culture, digital culture, brands and fan communities can connect, and a bridge for regional talent and audiences to a world stage within Kings League’s global competition ecosystem.”

Tesla’s long-awaited Roadster electric sports car is available for online reservations in the UAE, with customers required to pay a total of Dhs210,000 to secure their place in the booking queue.

According to Tesla’s UAE reservation page, customers must make an initial payment of Dhs20,000, followed by a further Dhs190,000 within 10 days to complete the reservation process.

The booking amount is fully refundable, although Tesla has yet to confirm the vehicle’s final purchase price or delivery timeline.

The development offers UAE customers an opportunity to reserve the high-performance electric sports car, which remains under development.

Tesla Roadster UAE: Reservation costs and payment terms

Tesla’s UAE website currently lists three Roadster configurations: Performance, Thrust and Rocket.

The Performance variant is described as road-ready, with seating for two, active aerodynamics and a multi-mode suction system.

The Thrust variant, marked as having limited availability, adds acceleration thrusters to the Performance configuration.

Meanwhile, the Rocket variant, listed as invite-only, features seating for one and is described as incorporating a full flight system alongside the Performance and Thrust capabilities.

WATCH: Tesla’s new Roadster turns in air with SpaceX thrusters

For the Thrust variant, Tesla’s website states that availability is restricted to one order per customer. The company also reserves the right to cancel duplicate orders, multiple purchases using the same account or phone number, and orders sharing identical payment or address details.

The reservation payment structure is as follows:

Tesla states that reservations are not final until the full payment is received and confirmed.

Final Roadster price and delivery date remain unconfirmed

Under Tesla’s UAE Roadster Reservation Agreement, the Dhs210,000 payment secures an approximate priority position for configuring and ordering the vehicle rather than an actual vehicle purchase.

The agreement states that the company is still determining the vehicle’s options, features and hardware, meaning the final purchase price cannot yet be confirmed.

Customers will be invited to configure their vehicles and enter into a separate order agreement as production approaches.

A final purchase agreement will subsequently specify the vehicle’s configuration, purchase price, applicable taxes, duties, transport and delivery charges, and other fees.

Tesla also makes clear that the Roadster remains under development and that no delivery date is offered or guaranteed.

Can customers cancel their Tesla Roadster reservations?

According to the reservation terms, customers can cancel their bookings through their Tesla accounts before entering into the final purchase agreement and receive a full refund.

Tesla may also cancel reservations under the agreement, with the reservation payment refunded.

The company states that reservation payments will not be held in a separate escrow or trust account and will not earn interest.

Reservations are also non-transferable without Tesla’s prior written consent.

The agreement identifies Tesla Motors Netherlands B.V. (Dubai Branch) as the contractual partner for UAE reservations, with the terms governed by UAE laws applicable in Dubai.

While the online reservation facility provides customers with an opportunity to secure priority for the Roadster, Tesla has not confirmed when deliveries will begin in the UAE or how much the finished vehicle will cost.

U by Emaar, Emaar’s lifestyle loyalty programme, and Visa have signed an exclusive 10-year partnership to develop a premium co-branded credit card and rewards programme targeting high-net-worth customers across the Gulf.

The agreement will cover the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, combining Visa’s global payments network and technology with Emaar’s hospitality, dining, entertainment, retail and lifestyle portfolio.

The partnership will focus on premium, high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) customers, with a tiered credit card programme offering lifestyle rewards, travel privileges and exclusive experiences.

An invitation-only tier is also planned for selected customers, featuring enhanced travel, concierge and lifestyle benefits.

Emaar, Visa to introduce premium credit cards

Under the agreement, the U by Emaar and Visa co-branded credit card will allow customers to earn and redeem UPoints across participating Emaar destinations and digital platforms.

The programme will offer rewards linked to hospitality, dining, entertainment, wellness, travel and retail spending.

Visa will provide technology integration with the U by Emaar loyalty programme and mobile application, including card-linking technology and application programming interfaces (APIs).

The integration is designed to enable real-time earning and redemption of UPoints, simplifying the rewards process for participating customers.

The planned card tiers will include benefits such as global airport lounge access, premium dining privileges, dedicated concierge services and exclusive lifestyle offers.

Partnership targets high-net-worth GCC customers

Devendar Agarwal, Visa’s CEMEA Head of Global Clients, Tech Partners and Merchant Business & GCC Acceptance, said: “Consumers increasingly expect seamless experiences that connect payments, rewards and everyday lifestyle spending. Through this long-term partnership with U by Emaar, we are combining Visa’s global payments expertise, technology and analytics capabilities with a leading lifestyle ecosystem to deliver greater value for premium customers across the GCC. Together, we are creating a platform designed to deepen customer engagement while supporting the next phase of loyalty innovation in the region.”

The agreement will also see Visa Consulting & Analytics support the programme through customer insights and data analysis aimed at improving customer acquisition, engagement and portfolio performance.

The companies said the partnership has been structured to support potential expansion into additional regional markets over the coming decade.

U by Emaar expands loyalty ecosystem

Hakan Keskin, Head of Hospitality at Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “Partnering with Visa is a defining milestone in the evolution of U by Emaar. This is not simply a co-branded card, it is a holistic, decade-long commitment to delivering the most premium, seamlessly integrated lifestyle rewards experience in the region. Visa’s technology, analytics, and global network give us the platform to truly serve our most valued members, and to extend that proposition to HNW and UHNW customers across the UAE, KSA, and Bahrain.”

The collaboration represents an expansion of U by Emaar’s loyalty offering, linking its existing lifestyle rewards ecosystem with Visa’s payment capabilities.

For Visa, the agreement provides an opportunity to expand its premium card offering through a regional hospitality and lifestyle partnership.

Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has reopened following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement earlier this month, but international airlines continue to cancel flights to the kingdom as restrictions on aircraft movements remain in place.

The airport resumed operations on Saturday, October 17, although airlines must still obtain permission from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) before operating arrivals or departures.

The reopening follows a temporary shutdown after an attack on October 10 that caused injuries and prompted authorities to suspend operations while assessing damage and conducting safety inspections.

Read more: Etihad extends Saudi flight cancellations to October 24 as Emirates, Air Arabia cancel services

In an official statement published by the Saudi Press Agency on October 10, GACA confirmed that King Khalid International Airport had been targeted that afternoon, resulting in injuries and the temporary suspension of operations pending a full damage assessment.

On October 12, the aviation regulator announced that the suspension would be extended while authorities completed procedures to verify the safety and operational readiness of airport facilities.

Despite the reopening, the restoration of regular flight schedules remains uncertain. Several major international airlines have extended suspensions into late October and November, while others have postponed planned services until 2027.

The disruption has affected air connectivity between Saudi Arabia and major international aviation hubs, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Frankfurt and Paris.

Emirates and flydubai cancel Dubai-Riyadh flights

Among the UAE carriers affected, Emirates has cancelled multiple services between Dubai and Riyadh, while flydubai’s published schedule indicates that its services on the route are not scheduled to operate until October 25.

According to flight status information displayed on Emirates’ website on October 20, three flights, EK815, EK819 and EK817, are listed as cancelled for both Tuesday, October 20, and Wednesday, October 21.

EK815, scheduled to depart Dubai International Airport at 1.10am and arrive in Riyadh at 2.25am, has been cancelled on both days. EK819, scheduled to depart Dubai at 6.50am and arrive at 8.10am, and EK817, scheduled to depart at 4.45pm and arrive at 6.05pm, are also listed as cancelled.

All three flights were scheduled to operate from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport to Terminal 5 at King Khalid International Airport.

Meanwhile, flydubai’s weekly flight schedule for October 19 to October 25 shows that its two Dubai-Riyadh services, FZ847 and FZ855, are not operating from Monday through Saturday. Both flights are listed as scheduled for Sunday, October 25.

FZ847 is scheduled to depart Dubai at 7.50am and arrive in Riyadh at 8.55am, while FZ855 is listed as departing at 7.20pm and arriving at 8.25pm. Both are non-stop services with a flight duration of two hours and five minutes.

The published schedule points to a potential resumption of flydubai’s services on October 25, although actual operations will depend on regulatory clearances and prevailing conditions.

International airlines extend Saudi flight suspensions

Several international carriers have extended their suspensions of services to Saudi Arabia, reflecting continued operational uncertainty even after Riyadh’s main airport reopened, according to a Reuters report.

Air France-KLM has extended the suspension of flights to and from Riyadh through November 7, while its Dubai services remain suspended through October 31. Lufthansa Group airlines have cancelled flights to and from the Saudi capital until November 18.

Philippine Airlines has extended its suspension of Riyadh services until November 29, while Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to and from Riyadh and Dammam.

Indian carriers have also extended cancellations. Air India has suspended flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until October 24, while IndiGo’s services to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah remain cancelled until the same date.

Akasa Air has suspended flights to Jeddah and Riyadh through October 27.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has cancelled flights to Riyadh and Dammam through October 24, alongside four services between Abu Dhabi and Jeddah during the same period.

Bahrain’s Gulf Air, which initially cancelled Riyadh services between October 12 and October 17, continued to suspend operations as of October 20.

Route launches and resumptions face delays

The disruption has also affected future route launches and resumptions. Cathay Pacific has postponed the resumption of its Hong Kong-Dubai and Hong Kong-Riyadh services through January 31, 2027, while US carrier Delta Air Lines has delayed its planned Atlanta-Riyadh flights until March 2027.

Malaysia Airlines, however, resumed services to Jeddah and Madinah on October 18, highlighting differences in the pace of recovery across Saudi Arabia’s airports.