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No Rent Hikes in Riyadh; Alibaba To Open Dubai Data Centre; Saudi Pro League Enters 180+ Territories
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Friday, September 26, 2025
Happy Friday everyone!
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered a five-year freeze on rent hikes in Riyadh to curb soaring housing costs and ease affordability pressures. In the UAE, China’s Alibaba will establish a new AI-focused data centre in Dubai by 2026, reinforcing the city’s role as a regional technology hub. Meanwhile, the Roshn Saudi League has signed landmark global broadcast deals, securing coverage in over 180 territories as it cements its place among the world’s most-watched football competitions.
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Saudi Crown Prince Freezes Riyadh Rent Hikes For Five Years Amid Housing Affordability Push
🔹 What Is It About
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered a five-year freeze on rent increases in Riyadh, applying to both residential and commercial properties. The directive, announced via the Saudi Press Agency, comes into force Thursday and is aimed at curbing a sharp rise in property costs. Rental prices for vacant units will remain fixed at their last rate, while new leases will be set by agreement between landlords and tenants.
🔹 Why It Matters
Riyadh’s property values have nearly doubled since 2019 due to surging demand and tight supply, making affordability a growing concern. With the capital attracting foreign workers and domestic migrants, the rental market has become crucial. The freeze underscores the government’s wider efforts to regulate real estate and rein in costs, including new measures against land hoarding and taxes on idle plots and unused buildings.
🔹 What’s Next
To boost supply, authorities will enforce higher taxes — up to 10% annually — on undeveloped land in priority zones unless construction begins, alongside a new 5% levy on empty buildings. These policies aim to accelerate development, expand rental options, and stabilize living costs. The rent freeze marks the strongest intervention yet in Saudi Arabia’s property market as Riyadh undergoes rapid transformation under Vision 2030.
Alibaba To Build AI-Focused Data Centre In Dubai By 2026
🔹 What Is It About
Alibaba will open a data centre in Dubai by 2026, part of its global expansion in AI infrastructure announced at the company’s Apsara Conference. New centres are also planned for Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia. The move follows a 26% year-on-year revenue surge in Alibaba Cloud, driven largely by AI demand.
🔹 Why It Matters
The Gulf is becoming a focal point in the global tech rivalry between the US and China. Washington has restricted high-end chip exports to the region, raising concerns that Chinese firms like Alibaba could step in to fill the gap. Partnerships with companies such as Nvidia further highlight China’s growing stake in global AI infrastructure.
🔹 What’s Next
While Alibaba has not confirmed whether Nvidia chips will power its Dubai facility, the project signals intensifying competition in the Middle East’s tech sector. As the UAE accelerates AI adoption under its Vision 2030 goals, Alibaba’s entry positions Dubai as a potential regional hub for next-generation cloud and AI services.
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Roshn Saudi League Secures Landmark Global Broadcast Deals To Expand Worldwide Reach
🔹 What Is It About
The Roshn Saudi League (RSL) has struck landmark media agreements with 37 leading broadcasters, bringing live coverage of the 2025/26 season to over 180 territories. Partners include global giants such as ESPN, Fox Sports, DAZN, and YouTube. Building on record viewership of 230 million fans last season, the deals mark a major step in positioning the RSL among the world’s most-watched football leagues.
🔹 Why It Matters
These long-term agreements highlight surging global interest in Saudi football, with broadcasters in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa securing multi-year commitments. Fox signed a six-season deal across the Americas, while India’s Fancode and Spain’s Movistar+ have locked in four-year partnerships. With broadcast revenues rising 20% over two seasons, the RSL’s rapid expansion underscores its growing commercial appeal and global sports influence.
🔹 What’s Next
The league will leverage innovative platforms to target new demographics, including free-to-air matches on YouTube in Brazil, France, and Australia, and a Twitch partnership with French creator Zack Nani to engage younger fans. Beyond matches, global partners like DAZN and OneFootball will distribute highlights to widen exposure. As RSL accelerates its Vision 2030 strategy, it is positioning itself as a top-tier global football destination.
👨💻From Smashi Business’ Desk
Dreamers: Shakour Abu Ghazalah, once left with nothing after a bank collapse, turned resilience into Albaik—the Middle East’s fast-food giant.
Global heavyweights are heading to Riyadh for FII9 (Oct 27–30), where 600+ speakers — including leaders from BlackRock, Aramco, PIF, JPMorgan, Citi, Alphabet & more.
Saudi stocks just had their biggest surge since 2020 — adding $124B in value — after reports the Kingdom may ease foreign ownership limits.
Dubai Entrepreneur Saif Kidwai: “Avoiding Tough Calls Is Killing Middle East Company Culture”.
UAE internet slowing down? Your home Wi-Fi may be the culprit.
🔍In other news…
Qatar and Saudi Arabia commit $89m to support Syria
Dubai rises in global financial centre index, ranking fourth for FinTech
PIF-backed Newcastle United in talks to fund new stadium
QIA teams up with Blue Owl for data centre push
Jordan attracted JD57 million ($80 million) in new industrial investments in the first half of 2025, with 66 companies committing to create 2,000 jobs.
🏦 Crypto Corner
Crypto data reveals UAE has mined bitcoins worth $700m
Michael Saylor — Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy and one of Bitcoin’s most vocal corporate advocates — will make his first-ever appearance in the UAE at Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi.
Hut 8, part of a American BTC which is partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, Gets Approval to Operate in Dubai Financial Hub.
Abu Dhabi Judicial Department now accept AE Coin.
We are launching a Smashi Crypto newsletter. Subscribe to it here to get the weekly updates from the world of digital assets.
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