Riyadh to Host Major Global Defense Forum as Investment Flows Into Kingdom
Riyadh is set to host a major international defense exhibition with strong early participation, while a new $400 million real estate venture highlights foreign investor confidence in the Kingdom’s reforms.
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is preparing to host one of the world’s premier defense exhibitions in February 2026, with organizers announcing that 90% of the event space is already booked nearly a year in advance. The World Defense Show (WDS) expects participants from approximately 80 countries, including first-time national exhibitors like Japan and Finland.
The strong commitment underscores Riyadh’s ambition to become a central hub for the global defense industry. Notably, Türkiye has solidified its role as a key participant, becoming the third-largest exhibitor for the 2026 event.
In a separate development highlighting economic diversification, a new $400 million international investment platform for real estate and digital infrastructure was launched this week. The venture, named SL Property, is a partnership between Saudi Arabia’s Al-Saedan Real Estate and firms from the UK and Canada.
The investment platform is among the first to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s updated “Regulation on Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis,” which took effect in January. “We are pleased to be among the first beneficiaries of the promising new foreign investment system,” said Dr. Badr bin Ibrahim, chairman of Al-Saedan Real Estate.
The World Defense Show, themed “The Future of Defense Integration,” will be held from February 8 to 12, 2026, in Riyadh. It will feature new zones focused on unmanned systems and future technologies, alongside a conference program for industry leaders.
