LAUSANNE: The International Olympics Committee (IOC) lavished praise Wednesday on Los Angeles and Paris in an evaluation of the two cities’ bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
“Members of the Evaluation Commission have used the terms ‘forward-looking’, ‘innovative’, ‘vibrant’ and ‘cool’ to describe the Los Angeles candidature, and ‘historical’, ‘cultural’, ‘iconic’ and ‘amazing backdrops’ for that of Paris,” said Patrick Baumann, chair of the 2024 Evaluation Commission and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“However, whatever the description, it truly is a tale of two great Olympic cities. The two projects are different in nature, but each city presents a proposal which is genuinely authentic and reflects the best of what each has to offer.”
The report noted that in line with the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020, both Los Angeles and Paris are planning to use a record number of existing and temporary venues, a first in Olympic history.
“Such proposals will lead to significant cost reductions in organizing the Olympic Games and make them more sustainable,” it said.
The commission’s report will be the key reference document for IOC members in the lead-up to the 2024 Candidate City Briefing on July 11-12 in Lausanne, with the final vote scheduled to take place during the 131st IOC session in Lima on Sept. 13.
“Los Angeles is one of the most entertaining sports and leisure destinations on the planet; Paris has a history second to none,” said Baumann.
“On any given day, people around the globe enjoy Hollywood offerings of great storytelling and showcasing technology, while at the same time they dream of visiting Paris, one of the world’s most dazzling tourist destinations.
“With the support, enthusiasm and passion of their citizens and athletes, Los Angeles and Paris have presented the best of their cities. And their best is as good as it can possibly get for the Olympic Games.”
IOC bosses have already recommended that hosting rights for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics be awarded together, virtually assuring that the two rival bidders will both get the Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach said the proposal had been “unanimously” endorsed by the executive, adding that the IOC had a “golden opportunity” with two “great cities” competing for 2024 and did not want to turn either away.
Interest in hosting Olympics has faded, with cities increasingly reluctant to take on the vast expense.
Assuming the dual award recommendation is approved at the July session in Lausanne, the body’s main meeting in Lima will then choose the host city for not only 2024 but also 2028.
“With both Los Angeles and Paris, the Olympic Games are in very good hands,” Baumann said in Wednesday’s report.
“The Evaluation Commission firmly believes that both Los Angeles and Paris are more than capable of hosting outstanding Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Their candidatures have put the Olympic Movement in a win-win situation with very little to separate the two projects. In other words, we have two projects which are great for the respective cities and two cities which are great for the Olympic Games.”
Olympics 2024 — A ‘tale of two great Olympic cities’, says IOC
Olympics 2024 — A ‘tale of two great Olympic cities’, says IOC
Footballco launches new Riyadh studio to boost creator-led content boom
- Football media company’s venture caters for its Arabic video-first brands
- Footballco also plans to create in-studio formats for its fan-driven series, Yalla Fans, previously shot on location at football stadiums
RIYADH: Football media and culture company Footballco have opened a new production studio in Riyadh.
The move allows it to boost the volume of in-studio content created for its leading Arabic video-first football brands — Yalla Goal, Yalla Fans and Yalla Girl, as well as branded content for commercial partners.
The new studio complements Footballco’s Riyadh office, which opened in December 2024 as its Middle East headquarters. Footballco’s move to the city was driven by a desire to better serve clients in Saudi Arabia and to bring it closer to the country’s burgeoning football industry. The company now has 20 full-time staff in the Kingdom.
Footballco currently operates three video-first Arabic-language football brands in the region, all targeting Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha fans and fronted by experienced content creators. Yalla Goal combines spirited discussions, bold challenges and fun games, while Yalla Girl celebrates the growth of women’s football in Saudi Arabia and the region, with a focus on talent, personality, laughter and friendship. Footballco also plans to create in-studio formats for its fan-driven series, Yalla Fans, previously shot on location at football stadiums.
The company’s decision to invest in creator-led, in-studio video formats is backed by its own research which found that, for young fans, brand partnerships with creators are seen as more valuable than official tournament partnerships.
Footballco’s new studio will increase the frequency of video content created for its channels, supported by two full-time hosts for Yalla Goal — Mohammed Bargat and Waleed Al-Shargi (better known as Shargi), who have a combined following of over 900,000 on their personal channels.
Andy Jackson, Footballco’s Middle East senior vice president, said: “With seven national teams from the region set to appear at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, eight if Iraq qualify through the play-offs, these new facilities and increasing video output sets our brands up for success at a time where we know there will be an unprecedented demand for fun, creator-led video content.
“We’re also excited to welcome both Bargat and Shargi to the team, with both having more than proved themselves as understanding how to create content that resonates with young fans and they are already familiar to our audiences.”
He added: “In December, our Arabic social channels generated over 1.7 billion video views, so we are building from an incredibly strong base to further cement our position as the clear market leader both in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. Our creator-led video formats have proved incredibly popular with brands, and this investment will see us able to offer a broader range of opportunities to our many commercial partners.”
While the World Cup this summer will see Footballco’s new studio in constant use, the company is also readying a slate of programming across Ramadan, with a 30-show spread culminating in an Eid special.
Taha Imani, Footballco’s head of video and social in the Middle East and North Africa region, said: “With YouTube becoming the number one place for fans to enjoy longform and short-form football content, and based on success across Footballco brands such as The Front Three in other markets, we’re expecting to grow at speed as we approach the World Cup giving fans exactly what they want from us on a daily basis.”
