Global live experience agency Catapult has expanded into Saudi Arabia with support from AstroLabs, positioning itself to deliver large-scale brand, sports, and fan experiences aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions.
Catapult, a global full-service live experience agency, has announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia, marking a strategic move as the Kingdom rapidly positions itself as a global hub for sports, entertainment, and large-scale live experiences.
The expansion is supported by AstroLabs, which has become a key entry partner for international companies seeking to establish long-term operations in Saudi Arabia.
Founded in Dublin in 1999, Catapult operates across Dublin, London, New York, and Los Angeles, delivering live events, exhibitions, brand activations, and large-scale conferences for global brands and rights holders.
Timing the Saudi opportunity
Catapult’s entry comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates investment in sports, entertainment, and tourism infrastructure under Vision 2030. Over the past decade, the Kingdom has moved from hosting occasional international events to building a year-round calendar of global competitions and festivals.
Saudi Arabia has hosted events ranging from Formula 1 races and the Dakar Rally to international boxing, tennis, and football tournaments, while also securing the rights to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
For agencies specialising in live experiences, the scale and pace of this expansion has created sustained demand rather than one-off opportunities.
Building on regional experience
Catapult’s regional presence builds on its role in delivering fan experiences for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, a project that demonstrated the agency’s ability to execute complex, high-volume experiences in the Middle East.
The company has developed long-term partnerships with global sporting bodies including FIFA and UEFA, alongside commercial clients such as Amazon, Mastercard, Coca-Cola, Puma, Meta, and Diageo.
Following its Saudi launch, Catapult participated in the Middle East Sports Investment Forum (MESIF) in Riyadh, where its Group Chief Experience Officer David Davies delivered a keynote at the Ministry of Investment and joined a panel discussion on the future of football in the region.
Industry perspective
Commenting on the expansion, Davies said:
“The Kingdom is in such an exciting phase, particularly with its presence on the global sporting stage, and for us it was not a question of whether we should establish operations in the Kingdom, but when. Every time we’ve been to Riyadh and Jeddah over the past few years, the rate of change and the commitment to excellence have excited us. Now we’re thrilled to be part of that story as we deliver world-class experiences for the largest rights holders and help redefine the next chapter of fan experience in Saudi Arabia.”
AstroLabs framed the move as part of a broader pattern of global companies committing to permanent operations rather than short-term projects.
“This expansion underscores the intensifying demand for high-quality, culturally attuned experiences in Saudi Arabia. By establishing a permanent presence in the Kingdom, Catapult will enable brands and platforms to connect with millions of fans and amplify their reach across Saudi Arabia’s thriving sports and entertainment landscape,” said Fouad Fattal, Vice President, Commercial at AstroLabs.
Supporting Vision 2030 objectives
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 framework places sports, culture, and entertainment at the center of economic diversification, tourism growth, and global soft power strategy.
Agencies like Catapult are increasingly viewed as strategic enablers rather than service vendors — responsible not only for execution, but for shaping how global audiences experience events hosted in the Kingdom.
By establishing a permanent presence, Catapult aims to localise its approach, adapt experiences to regional audiences, and support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to deliver world-class events that meet global standards while reflecting local culture.
A long-term signal
Catapult’s expansion reflects a broader industry shift toward Saudi Arabia as a sustained market for live experiences, rather than a cyclical event destination.
As the Kingdom continues to invest in infrastructure, rights acquisition, and international partnerships, demand for agencies capable of delivering complex, human-centered experiences at scale is expected to grow.
For Catapult, the move signals confidence that Saudi Arabia’s transformation is not a temporary surge — but a long-term structural change in the global sports and entertainment economy.
