Published : 04 Oct 2026, 07:17 PM
Updated : 04 Oct 2026, 07:17 PM
Saudi Arabia is set to cancel next year's Joy Awards, its star-studded answer to the Oscars or Grammys, as financial pressures and the Iran war weigh on the kingdom's growing entertainment sector, two people familiar with the matter said.
Held each January, the event has become a major fixture on Riyadh's annual events calendar, attracting performers such as Katy Perry and Robbie Williams and presenting awards across music, entertainment and sport.
The cancellation would make the Joy Awards the latest high-profile entertainment event to be postponed or called off as Saudi Arabia reassesses spending and cuts back on culture and entertainment budgets.
The General Entertainment Authority, which organises the awards with Saudi media group MBC, did not respond to requests for comment. MBC Group and the Saudi government's media office also did not respond.
Industry sources said budget reductions were already being felt before the Iran war, which has complicated Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to develop Saudi Arabia into a destination for tourism and international events under his Vision 2030 programme.
Several major projects have been scaled back or delayed over the past year, including the 161-km steel-and-glass tower known as The Line at NEOM and a planned $50 billion cube-shaped structure in Riyadh.
The government has also withdrawn funding from ventures including LIV Golf, after spending more than $5 billion on the project, while plans for the NEOM Stadium, one of the main venues for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, are being shelved, according to two people familiar with the matter.
"The war and its wider ripple effects are inevitably prompting Gulf states to reassess spending priorities," said Mazen Hayek, a Dubai-based media consultant.
He said governments were weighing the international visibility and influence offered by major events against other national priorities amid the current environment.
Film Festival, Desert Rave Also Cancelled
The Red Sea Film Festival was postponed until 2027 last month, with organisers citing logistical constraints and other factors. Industry sources said uncertainty over the Iran war had also made it harder to secure international stars for such events.
The festival began in 2021 as part of efforts to develop Saudi Arabia's film industry after the kingdom ended its decades-long cinema ban.
Organisers also cancelled Soundstorm, a large desert music festival scheduled for December that attracts hundreds of thousands of people. The event, which featured Cardi B as a headliner last year, is expected to return next year, although organisers did not give a reason for the cancellation.
Soundstorm, also known as MDLBEAST, began in 2019 during a period of rapid social change under the crown prince, whose reforms sought to reduce the influence of religious conservatives.
Events promoting investment, including the flagship Future Investment Initiative scheduled for later this month, remain on the calendar, according to organisers.
"Events that are important for the Saudi economy and showing its place in the world are still being prioritised," said a person working in Saudi Arabia's events industry.
