Saudi First Division League partners with TikTok to stream season finale

RIYADH: Saudi’s First Division League (FDL) is teaming up with TikTok, the world’s leading short video platform, to livestream some of the season’s final matches on both the FDL and Al Riyadiya TV channel accounts.

The matches will take place on May 29 during the last match week of the FDL.

The livestreams will be accessible globally, with TikTok also creating an FDL effect for users on the app.

This partnership with TikTok highlights the commitment of FDL — which is the third highest followed Arab football league on the platform — to bringing the action to a wider regional and global audience. FDL match broadcasts have captured more than 2 million unique viewers on Al Riyadiya TV’s TikTok account.

Fans will be offered an interactive viewing experience with the opportunity to engage with their favorite teams and players.

A standout among the FDL’s clubs on TikTok is Al-Riyadh FC, ranked fourth among Saudi football teams after top names such as Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. The most followed FDL club, it also ranks fifth in the MENA region, just behind Egypt’s Al-Ahly. Their soaring popularity garnered 100 million views in the past 30 days.

Talal Al-Obaidi, acting executive director at First Division League, said: “We at the First Division League are committed to driving advancements in media and marketing channels alongside our partners. As part of this endeavor, we worked on establishing the YELO League as the pioneering competition to introduce a dedicated region for swift interviews, known as the ‘TikTok Zone,’ to be officially sanctioned and successfully integrated into future operations.”

Meanwhile, Mohamed Harb, TikTok’s head of sports & gaming MENA, added: “We are thrilled to partner with Saudi’s