Riyadh Season 2025 Sparks Controversy .. "Only Syrians Approved and Egyptians Excluded"!

The announcement by the head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, Turki Al Sheikh, about the participation of only Saudi and Syrian artists in the upcoming Riyadh Season has sparked significant controversy on social media platforms, especially after his recent statements indicating that the season will primarily rely on Saudi and Gulf musicians and performers, with a clear exclusion of Egyptian artists.

In his posts on "Facebook" and "X", Al Sheikh confirmed that the upcoming season will feature a large number of Saudi and Gulf plays, along with some Syrian and international plays, which led to the dissatisfaction of many Egyptians who were expecting a notable presence of several Egyptian artists in these events, given Egypt's prominent historical role in the field of Arab art.

Despite the criticisms directed at Al Sheikh from some Egyptian activists, others defended his decision, considering that focusing on local and Gulf art is an important step to support and develop it. In the context of this controversy, Al Sheikh announced the participation of Syrian star Ayman Zidan in a play as part of the season's events, which received wide praise from fans of Syrian art.

He also revealed the participation of Saudi star Nasser Al Qasabi in another play, which impressed the Saudi audience and led to further discussion about whether it would be better to expand participation to include more famous Arab names.