The "Hawi" Baloot Tournament kicked off today in Riyadh, organized by the National Hobbies Portal ("Hawi"), one of the Quality of Life Program's initiatives, and runs November 14-15 at the main lobby of King Saud University. The tournament aims to promote baloot as a popular hobby and encourage individuals to choose and pursue their hobbies, supporting Saudi Vision 2030's goals for developing the hobbies sector.

Baloot enthusiasts can register through the "Hawi" app, available on smart-device app stores. The tournament follows a Swiss-system format over five rounds, with four teams qualifying for a knockout final. Participants must be registered on the app and comply with general codes of conduct regarding appearance and behavior. Total prize money reaches SR20,000, and the tournament is open to all baloot enthusiasts in the Riyadh region.

The tournament is part of "Hawi's" efforts to expand baloot's player base and encourage friendly competition among individuals. It is part of a series of tournaments "Hawi" has recently organized across several regions of the Kingdom, with a similar tournament held in the Makkah region last month.

Saudi Arabia's hobbies sector has grown rapidly in recent years, with "Hawi" established under the supervision of the Quality of Life Program Center in cooperation with 12 government entities to serve as the official umbrella for supporting hobbies in the Kingdom. "Hawi" works to support hobbyists of both genders and raise awareness of the importance of pursuing hobbies in achieving a balance between quality of life and community wellbeing.