Pakistani sports giant Forward Sports plans Saudi expansion
Forward Sports, Pakistan’s top football manufacturer, plans Saudi Arabia headquarters as trade ties and World Cup demand grow rapidly.
Saudi Arabia – Sialkot – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – Forward Sports, a leading Pakistani sports goods manufacturer, is preparing to establish its headquarters in Saudi Arabia, according to the Kingdom’s embassy on Thursday. Based in Sialkot, Pakistan, the company is renowned for producing high-quality footballs and exporting them worldwide. It manufactures Adidas’ official World Cup match balls and has recently overtaken a Chinese competitor to become the German brand’s largest football supplier.
In November, Pakistan’s Finance Minister told Arab News that Forward Sports’ officials met with Saudi representatives during the Future Investment Initiative summit in Riyadh in October. The discussions focused on a model where precise manufacturing remains in Pakistan, while finishing, packaging, and regional distribution would be handled in Saudi Arabia, aligning with the Kingdom’s industrial localization strategy.
“In the context of strengthening trade relations between the two friendly countries, the ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, met representatives of Forward Sports Industries to discuss preparations for opening the company’s headquarters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Saudi embassy in Pakistan said.
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The collaboration in manufacturing footballs takes place as Saudi Arabia gears up to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which is driving demand for sports-related goods in the Kingdom.
Saudi businessmen have previously eyed collaboration with Pakistan, especially when it comes to importing sports goods and surgical instruments from the country.
A Saudi business delegation in 2022 visited the manufacturing units of Forward Sports, Elmed Instruments (Pvt) Limited and Hilbro International (Pvt) Limited companies, all located in Sialkot, to assess the quality of sports and surgical instruments there.
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The development takes place as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directs his government to increase its focus on enhancing exports. Islamabad has sought to escape a prolonged economic crisis over the past few years, seeing increased exports and foreign investment as key drivers of sustainable economic growth.
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