More than 50 companies have been recognised for excellence at the Sports Industry Awards 2026, with Trivandi and Elevate walking away with the top honours in the Advisory and Agency categories.
Established in 2012, the Middle East Sports Industry Awards celebrate the organisations, clubs, facilities, campaigns and industry leaders helping to raise the game across the region’s fast-growing sports ecosystem. The competition is supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
At the ceremony, held at Space42 Arena in Abu Dhabi, winners were announced across a wide range of categories, including two spotlighting the professional services arena.
In the category ‘Best Advisory Services of the Year’, three consultancies battled it out for the title: GSIQ, a specialist in intelligence across sport, sponsorship and tourism; The Sports Consultancy, which has two offices in the Middle East; and Trivandi, the global consultancy known for delivering major sporting events and venue strategies.
In a repeat of last year’s triumph, Trivandi once again hit the back of the net, securing the award for a second consecutive year. Celebrating the win, the firm stated in a post on social media: “We’re delighted to have won this award for the second year in a row. This is a brilliant moment for our team and a huge thank you to our clients and partners across the region for trusting us with ambitious, exciting projects.”
Founded in 2013, Trivandi employs around 100 specialists across offices in London, Dubai, Riyadh, Los Angeles, and Brisbane. The consultancy also draws on a global bench of more than 3,500 independent associates to support delivery on major international projects.
Meanwhile, Elevate was crowned ‘Agency of the Year’ in the Middle East, edging out competition from 54, Ethara, F31, hala partners, and TenX Marketing Solutions. Elevate is a US-headquartered business that entered the region only last year, although the firm it acquired to establish its foothold – RISE Group – was already a well-established player in the regional sports industry.
The firm focuses on the commercial side of the sports business, helping clients drive revenue growth, deepen fan engagement, unlock consumer insights, deliver digital innovation and execute high-impact campaigns. On the night, Elevate also picked up an additional award and a highly commended accolade – capping off an impressive all-round performance.
“This is a proud moment for the entire Elevate team.”
Seth Holmes
Executive Director for MENA at Elevate.
“Winning multiple awards reflects our relentless focus on delivering genuine impact – whether through transformative community programmes, record-breaking digital campaigns, or driving outstanding commercial results for our clients. These wins belong to our incredible team, our partners, and the organisations we work with across the region.”
Both Trivandi and Elevate were also named among the Middle East’s leading sports consulting firms in a recent benchmark compiled by industry platform Consultancy.org.
Sports sector gathers momentum
The awards come at a time when the Middle East sports market is entering a new league of growth, with Saudi Arabia in particular accelerating investment ahead of a packed calendar of global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
According to research from Oliver Wyman and the World Economic Forum, the global sports industry reached a value of $2.3 trillion last year, with further expansion expected in the years ahead. The Gulf region was highlighted as one of the sector’s standout growth markets, fuelled by mega events, rising investment, fan participation, and sports tourism.
Another study, by Altman Solon, found that the Middle East’s appetite for sport is continuing to surge, with fan engagement, audience participation and commercial opportunities all trending upwards.
