Football, gaming and automotive experiences came together at the BYD Fan Zone held at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on September 29 as part of BYD’s partnership with Khaleeji 27.
The event featured football-related games, e-gaming and entertainment activities, while visitors could also view BYD’s Ti 7 and Shark 6 vehicles. The activation also included complimentary drinks at the Dream Bar and limited-edition Khaleeji 27 x BYD merchandise.
BYD is the Official Automotive Partner of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation and Khaleeji 27. The company, along with its exclusive Saudi distributor Al-Futtaim, is also conducting test-drive activities and activations at its showrooms across Saudi Arabia.
Football meets mobility
Jerome Saigot, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim BYD Saudi Arabia, said the partnership provided an opportunity to connect the automotive brand with football fans across the Gulf.
“Khaleeji 27 is much more than a football tournament. It brings together people and communities from across the Gulf through a shared passion, and that makes this partnership particularly meaningful for BYD,” Saigot said.
The partnership was announced in June and was followed by a Trophy Tour activation in Jeddah on September 19. The event gave media and content creators an opportunity to view the Khaleeji 27 trophy and learn about BYD’s involvement in the tournament.
Technology takes centre stage
At the Fan Zone, automotive influencer Hani Daghistani spoke about the technology used in the vehicles on display.
“BYD is actually a leader in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the world. We have here two different vehicles, BYD Ti 7 as well as BYD Shark 6, the pickup, which is one of the rare pickups in the world that comes with plug-in hybrid technology,” Daghistani said.
He said plug-in hybrid technology combined fuel efficiency with performance and described the vehicles as comfortable and technologically advanced.
“BYD is an empire in this space. They are building everything in-house. They are building their batteries in-house. They have their own technology,” he said.
“BYD is expanding in Saudi Arabia in a huge way. Within the last three years, they opened a huge number of branches that provide sales and after-sales services in so many cities inside Saudi Arabia.”
Market growth and technology
Tarek El Hajj, VP-Global Football at IMG, said the partnership connected BYD with a major sporting event in the region.
“Gulf Cup is the biggest event across the region here. We’re talking about a top-tier event, and BYD is one of the leading companies across automotive. Definitely engaging with sports, with football, which is the top sport in the region that likes football a lot, is a perfect scenario.”
Jameel Azher, an automotive journalist at Saudi Auto, said BYD had expanded its presence in Saudi Arabia since entering the market.
“BYD entered the market just a couple of years ago, and since they’ve entered the market, they’ve gained an incredible amount of market share,” Azher said.
He said the company’s lineup includes battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and range-extended electric vehicles, with products being adapted for the Saudi market.
“What they’re really selling is technology,” he said.
Azher also pointed to after-sales service, spare-parts availability and the overall ownership experience as important factors for customers as BYD expands in the Kingdom.
“The Saudi customer does their homework. They really look at quality, and they look at what they’re getting for the amount of money that they’re spending,” he said.
