France Becomes First Official Participant at Expo 2030 Riyadh

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 25, 2026--

France is the first country to officially sign its Participation Contract for Expo 2030 Riyadh, a major milestone in its preparations and growing international momentum. The signing took place on the sidelines of the visit to France by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

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The agreement formally establishes France’s participation in Expo 2030 Riyadh, providing the framework for its presence throughout the six-month event. It specifies the location and space allocated to the France Pavilion, outlines the Pavilion's theme, and sets out the broad lines of the experience offered to visitors and businesses.

Commenting on the milestone, Talal Al-Marri, Chief Executive Officer of Expo 2030 Riyadh, said: “France becoming the first country to sign its Participation Contract is an important milestone for Expo 2030 Riyadh and a strong demonstration of the momentum behind international participation. France brings a rich history of engagement with World Expos, together with deep expertise across culture, innovation and the creation of compelling visitor experiences. We look forward to working closely with France and COFREX as their plans take shape and to seeing the ambition they bring to Riyadh in 2030. This milestone brings us another step closer to delivering an extraordinary World Expo that will bring the world together at an unprecedented scale in 2030.”

Jacques Maire, Chairman of COFREX, said: “Expo 2030 Riyadh provides an exceptional platform to showcase French creativity, innovation and know-how with audiences from around the world. We are grateful to Expo Riyadh for offering France an exceptional space, both in its location and its scale. Located within the ‘Planet’ district, the Pavilion’s theme is ‘Under One Sky.’ Built around the four elements — sky, earth, fire and water — it has a dual ambition: to offer the public an immersive and meaningful experience, and to allow our businesses to demonstrate their capabilities, particularly in service of protecting the planet and the ecological transition. We will play our part in Expo’s ambition to foster new opportunities for exchange, collaboration and dialogue. We are proud to be part of this global gathering and look forward to contributing fully to its success in Riyadh in 2030.”

The milestone builds on a period of continued progress for Expo 2030 Riyadh, from the recent signing of the See Agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to ongoing site development and operational preparations.

Expo 2030 Riyadh will take place from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031 under the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow.” The six-month event is expected to bring together more than 200 official participants and welcome 42 million visits. Through national pavilions, cultural programming, innovation and immersive experiences, Expo 2030 Riyadh will provide a global platform for countries and organisations to exchange ideas, build partnerships and explore solutions to shared challenges. Following the event, the site is planned to evolve into a permanent global village, creating a lasting legacy for Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the world.

About Expo 2030 Riyadh

Running from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031, Expo 2030 Riyadh will be among the most ambitious World Expos ever conceived with a 6 million square meter site that will bring together more than 200 official participants and 42 million visits across 5 distinct districts.

Held under the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow,” and hosted in Riyadh - a city of action and ambition - Expo 2030 Riyadh will provide a platform for participants to exchange ideas, shape solutions, and build partnerships that drive real impact, address global challenges, and unlock new opportunities. The World Expo will feature immersive cultural zones, daily activations, and AI-powered interactions, blending traditional Saudi hospitality with cutting-edge technology. Following the six-month event, the site will evolve into a global village, leaving a lasting legacy for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the world.

For more information, please visit: https://www.expo2030riyadh.sa/en/

About Compagnie Française des Expositions (COFREX)

Founded in January 2018, COFREX is a publicly-owned company and the first permanent structure dedicated to preparing, organising and delivering France's participation in World Expos and International Expositions. Its sustainable approach draws on the experience of previous expositions to ensure optimal organisation, at the best cost and with the lowest possible environmental impact. It is built on a partnership between public and private stakeholders, serving the image and attractiveness of France.

www.cofrex.fr

The ceremony in Paris was attended by H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE. The Participation Contract was signed by Talal Al-Marri, Chief Executive Officer of Expo 2030 Riyadh, and Jacques Maire, Chairman of the Compagnie Française des Expositions (COFREX).

NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic will have to hope to win another U.S. Open singles title. They were no match for two of the top doubles players in tennis.

Sabalenka and Djokovic started strong but couldn't hold on, falling 1-4, 4-2 (10-2) to Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten on Tuesday in the first round of the mixed doubles tournament.

Siniakova, ranked No. 1 in women's doubles, ended the match with an ace while serving to Djokovic.

“Kat acing Novak on match point was pretty fun,” Patten said after the match, before a quick turnaround to play their quarterfinal match against the married pair of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils.

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz were in action later in the first round of the 16-team event, which offers a $1 million prize to the winning team.

The tournament was overhauled last year in an effort to get more top singles players to compete. It was moved to a two-day event well before the singles main draw begins, with a scoring format that guarantees quick matches that shouldn't tax the players too much.

The matches in the first three rounds feature sets to four games, with a tiebreaker at 4-all and a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a third set. Only the final on Wednesday night will resemble a regular match, with traditional sets to six games.

Sabalenka, the two-time defending U.S. Open women's champion, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic are exactly the types of players the U.S. Tennis Association was seeking. They had the No. 1 seed based on the lowest combined singles ranking of any team, but their loss was far from an upset.

Patten is ranked No. 1 in men's doubles, and he and Siniakova turned things around after Sabalenka and Djokovic stormed through the first set in 12 minutes, then got an early break in the second.

Doubles specialists such as Siniakova and Patten were shut out of the U.S. Open last year, when teams qualified directly based on the two players' singles rankings, or were given wild cards by the USTA. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who had won the title in 2024, were the only doubles players in the field after they were given a wild card to return, and went on to defend their title.

An eight-team qualifying tournament was added this year, giving two teams, comprised mostly of regular doubles players, the chance to earn their way into the main draw.

Svitolina and Monfils routed Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-1, 4-1 in their opening match.

Also, Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik edged Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo 4-1, 2-4 (10-7). The Czechs advanced to face the duo of Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, who ousted fellow Americans Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien 5-3, 4-2.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, left, and Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, share a laugh during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, and Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, high-five during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Henry Patten, of Britain, left, and Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, and Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during a mixed doubles match at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)