SIALKOT: Forward Sports, one of the world’s largest manufacturer of footballs and a key supplier to global brands, is planning to start operations in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture this year, its chief executive officer (CEO) told Arab News last week.
Headquartered in the northeastern city of Sialkot, the Pakistani sports equipment company has been working with global sports brand Adidas for two decades and was one of the two manufacturers of Adidas’ Al Rihla, the official 2022 World Cup ball.
Forward Sports produces 15 million footballs each year which are exported worldwide and recently replaced a Chinese competitor as Adidas’s largest football supplier, according to Forward Sports CEO Khawaja Masood Akhtar.
Forward Sports CEO Khawaja Masood Akhtar, during an interview with Arab News on January 24, 2026. (AN Photo)
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Akhtar said his company is in early stages of its expansion to Saudi Arabia, where it plans to start with a “minimum headcount” from Pakistan.
