SIALKOT – (Web Desk) – Forward Sports, one of the world’s largest football manufacturers and a key Adidas supplier, is planning to expand its operations to Saudi Arabia this year through a joint venture. Headquartered in Sialkot, Pakistan, the company has been producing high-quality sports equipment for over two decades and was one of the makers of Adidas’ official 2022 World Cup ball, Al Rihla. Forward Sports manufactures around 15 million footballs annually and recently became Adidas’s largest football supplier, surpassing a Chinese competitor.
According to CEO Khawaja Masood Akhtar, the Saudi expansion will initially focus on marketing with a minimal team from Pakistan, while most operations will rely on the infrastructure of a local Saudi partner. The manufacturing, packaging, and logistics of footballs will largely remain in Pakistan, with only a small portion of production done in Saudi Arabia to meet localization laws.
Akhtar emphasized that the expansion will not affect Pakistani exports or jobs and aims to tap into the growing sports market in Saudi Arabia, especially ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The company’s headquarters will stay in Pakistan, with production capacity ready to scale up if demand increases.
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The move reflects the growing economic partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, fostering cross-border business opportunities.
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