RIYADH: On the night of Paris Saint-German’s second-leg Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, football fans had taken over LDN Circus.
Inside Riyadh’s first pub-style entertainment venue, giant screens flashed the game above rows of football jerseys, scarves and signed memorabilia brought in by After90 for a special match-night collaboration.
For a few hours, the venue became more than just a place to watch football. It became a reflection of Saudi Arabia’s growing fan culture — one in which football is no longer confined to the pitch, but increasingly expressed through collectibles, nostalgia and shared experiences.
Founded in Saudi Arabia, After90 is a sports memorabilia and collectibles business built around football culture, while also expanding into sports like basketball and mixed martial arts.
The company specializes in signed shirts, framed photographs and match-related items designed to preserve moments “beyond the whistle” — hence the name After90.
“After90 actually came from an idea we had while watching football here in Saudi Arabia,” co-founder George Nassif told Arab News.
“At the time, I was working with fellow co-founder Bader Al-Ghossoun on a different project, and we noticed fans on television signing memorabilia after matches,” he said.
“With everything happening in Riyadh through Vision 2030 and the major investment already taking place in Saudi Arabia, I told him this could become a great opportunity.”
Al-Ghossoun told Arab News that the ambitions of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were a key factor behind their decision to bring the idea to life.
“One of the goals and ambitions of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is to create startups and small businesses that support the economy as a whole,” Al-Ghossoun said.
“After90 is one piece of a much bigger picture. We are part of the Kingdom’s vision through serving sport, which is one of the key pillars of Vision 2030.”
On the night, LDN Circus was filled to capacity as fans took part in football trivia competitions for the chance to win a signed Roberto Carlos jersey, while a separate giveaway later in the evening featured a Francesco Totti signed shirt.
Tarek Ghosn, also one of the company’s co-founders, believes Riyadh was the right place for After90 to emerge — for reasons that extend beyond football.
“People are in love with football here,” Ghosn said. “But the basketball community is also growing, along with sports like boxing and MMA. That is why we are expanding beyond football memorabilia, and Saudi Arabia is the ideal place for that.”
Ghosn is confident in the company’s decision to continue growing in the Kingdom.
“I believe it is one of the top three places in the world to build a business. It is one of the biggest markets globally for any industry,” he said.
The passion of fans in Saudi Arabia has not gone unnoticed. In a country where both local and international football increasingly coexist, venues like LDN Circus provide the ideal platform for supporters to experience matches together throughout the day.
“When I came to LDN Circus, everywhere I looked there were football screens. Everything was centered around football,” Nassif said.
“With all the collectibles, the flags, the atmosphere and the giant screens everywhere, I immediately thought it would be the perfect place for a collaboration with After90.”
However, as Saudi Arabia continues to reshape the football landscape, one misconception often directed towards Saudi fans is whether their passion for the sport is genuine.
“I can guarantee you that even our youngest fans know the history of Italy’s 1982 national team,” Al-Ghossoun said. “They know about the 1994 World Cup in the United States, who reached the Round of 16 and who made it to the quarterfinals.
“There is a huge football culture within Saudi society that should never be underestimated.”
Nassif used his experience of living in Italy for four years to compare the passion of Saudi fans with that of the Italians.
“When I lived in Italy, I truly understood how passionate football culture is there. Italians are crazy about football,” Nassif said.
“When I came to Saudi Arabia, I realized people here have that same passion, just expressed differently through their own culture.
“I saw fans screaming, celebrating and even crying. You could see people supporting their teams with their whole hearts. They wanted to feel connected to the players and fully involved in the experience.
“Those experiences are what made me decide to go all in on After90.”
It is also those experiences that continue to shape the company’s vision. While much of the attention in football is focused on what happens on the pitch, the founders believe there is equal — if not greater — value in the relationships formed after the final whistle.
“I truly believe the importance of After90 lies in the timing,” Ghosn said. “That moment after the match is when the relationships between players and fans really begin to grow.”
But while the emotional aspect remains central to the company’s identity, Nassif also sees memorabilia as a long-term investment opportunity for supporters.
“After90 is about emotion, but it is also about investment,” he said. “Any collectible you buy today could grow significantly in value over the next two, five or even 10 years.”
As Saudi Arabia’s sporting landscape continues to evolve, businesses like After90 reflect a wider shift in how fans engage with football. In a country where the game is increasingly experienced across all facets of society, After90 aims to ensure the final whistle no longer represents the end of the experience, but the beginning of a different kind of connection.
