Sports play a crucial role in spurring economic growth in developed countries – not only through entertainment and competition, but also via investment, job creation, tourism promotion, and the development of the sports industry. Global events, such as the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, demonstrate that sports can serve as a powerful economic engine. At that time, the Russian economy experienced a significant boost, reflected in an increase in GDP, a rise in per capita income, and a decline in unemployment rates, with this occurring along with nearly 20% growth in the tourism sector.

In this respect, Prof. Majid Said Al-Busafi from the College of Education examined the sports investment market in the Sultanate of Oman, focusing on the potential of its infrastructure and human resources to create an attractive investment environment. His study comes at a time when the Sultanate of Oman is striving to diversify its non-oil sources of income, with the sports sector potentially serving as a sustainable economic pillar to support this objective.

Through surveying the views of key stakeholders in both the public and private sectors, the study concluded that Omani sports investment lacks strategic and systematic planning. Sports institutions do not have clear investment plans, and sports facilities are not fully equipped to attract investment due to administrative and regulatory challenges and weak incentives for sports capital.

The study also highlighted a shortage of skills in human resources, which reduces the potential for transforming sports into a lucrative sector. Despite the promising opportunities of investment in Omani sports, the potential risks remain high due to weak government support and a lack of coordination between relevant authorities.

The research team suggested important recommendations to prop up the sports sector. A comprehensive national strategy for sports investment should be in place with clear objectives and well-defined implementation mechanisms, alongside legislative improvements to attract investments through revising government procedures and laws.

The researchers also emphasised that strengthening sports infrastructure requires partnerships between the public and private sectors to build modern facilities capable of hosting major sporting events. Further, they stressed the importance of developing training programmes for professionals in sports management, marketing, and investment, while promoting investment opportunities through media campaigns and attracting both local and international investors.