On January 17, 2026, Riyadh made a statement without saying it out loud. At the Joy Awards 2026, one of Riyadh Season’s biggest nights, the spotlight hit actors, athletes, creators, and media leaders shaping entertainment in real time. It looked glamorous. But it felt strategic. Because this year wasn’t only about who won. It was about why they won.

With voting running through the official Joy Awards app, the results acted like a public poll of cultural taste. Local names didn’t rise by default. They rose because audiences pushed them there. “This is our scene now,” is the kind of feeling the crowd carried all night.

Why This Year Felt Different

The Joy Awards always reflect popularity. But 2026 showed something else: Saudi culture is building a full pipeline, from talent discovery to mainstream recognition.

You could see it in the variety of wins:

  • TV storytelling and Gulf series
  • Momentum in women’s sport
  • Creator-first entertainment that starts online and crosses into TV and brands
  • Recognition for rising talent and legacy voices in media

That range is not random. It’s a sign of a connected entertainment economy where content, sport, and digital influence strengthen each other. The audience isn’t only consuming culture anymore. It’s curating it.

The Wins That Defined the Night

1) Abdulmohsen Al Nemr — Favourite Series Actor (Al Marsa)

Abdulmohsen Al Nemr’s win for Favourite Series Actor signaled a stronger appreciation for controlled, layered performances. In Al Marsa, he delivered emotion without forcing it, which helped the character feel believable rather than theatrical. The recognition is a reminder that audiences are increasingly rewarding nuance, especially as Saudi series compete more confidently within the wider regional market.

2) Sharea Al Asha — Favourite Gulf Series

Sharea Al Asha taking home Favourite Gulf Series was one of the night’s most telling moments. Set in 1970s Riyadh, the series looks inward rather than outward, choosing memory, place, and social transformation over spectacle. Its win confirmed something many creators have sensed for a while: stories rooted at home resonate deeply when they’re told with honesty and care.

3) Layla AlQahtani — Favourite Female Athlete

Layla AlQahtani’s win for Favourite Female Athlete carried emotional weight. Accepting the award while injured and on crutches, her appearance became a quiet reminder of resilience, and of how women’s sport is no longer operating on the margins. Moments like this show how athletic achievement now lives firmly within the wider cultural conversation.

4) Rateel Alshehri — Favourite Female Influencer

At just 14, Rateel Alshehri winning Favourite Female Influencer highlighted a generational shift already underway. Influence today isn’t waiting for age or permission. A younger wave is shaping taste, language, and online culture, and audiences are actively supporting them.

5) Rayan Al-Ahmari (MjrmGames) — Favourite Male Influencer

When MjrmGames won Favourite Male Influencer, it confirmed what many already knew. Gaming is no longer a side culture, but a mainstream entertainment, and creators in this space are building communities as engaged as any traditional media audience. This win placed digital-first entertainment firmly at the center of the cultural stage.

6) Taraf AlObaidy — Favourite Rising Star (Ommi)

Winning Favourite Rising Star, Taraf AlObaidy’s role in Ommi showed how quickly new faces are finding support. This kind of recognition matters because it reflects early trust. Viewers aren’t only celebrating established names. They’re backing emerging talent before it becomes obvious.

7) Saleh Al-Areedh — Honorary Award

Saleh Al-Areedh received one of the night’s Joy Honorary recognitions, a tribute designed for figures whose influence was built over years, not a single season. He is a Saudi broadcaster and TV presenter, widely known for hosting Mawahib wa Afkar, a format that helped spotlight talent and shape early entertainment taste for many Saudi viewers.

The award acknowledged the kind of work that builds an audience slowly: credibility on screen, consistency across years, and a media presence that helped prepare the ground for the scene Saudi Arabia is celebrating now.

What Are These Wins Really Saying?

Taken together, the results tell a clear story about Saudi Arabia:

Television Has Found its Voice.

Performances and series rooted in place are connecting more strongly than ever. The confidence to tell local stories, and the audience’s willingness to embrace them, is now unmistakable.

Women’s Visibility Continues to Rise.

From sport to digital influence, women are being recognized in public-voted categories, signaling a shift that feels organic rather than symbolic.

Creators are Part of the Main Economy.

Influencers, gamers, and digital storytellers are no longer operating outside the industry. They are shaping it.

Legacy Still Matters.

By recognizing long-term contributors, the industry shows that progress doesn’t erase history. It builds on it.

Nominees that Shaped the Conversation

The depth of this year’s nominees further reinforced the strength of the scene.

Favourite Gulf Series

  • Al Marsa
  • Ommi
  • Share’ Al A’sha
  • Sayf 99

Favourite Series Actor

  • Abdulrahman Bin Nafae (Share’ Al A’sha)
  • Abdulmohsen Al Nemr (Al Marsa)
  • Moatasem Al Nahar (Nafas)
  • Hesham Maged (Ashghal Shaqqa Jeddan)

Favourite Series Actress

  • Alanoud Saud (Ommi)
  • Elham Ali (Share’ Al A’sha)
  • Amina Khalil (Lam Shamsiyya)
  • Karess Bashar (Taht Sabe’ Ard)

Favourite Rising Star – Series

  • Taraf AlObaidy (Ommi)
  • Rosyll Al Ibrahem (Salma)
  • Ali Beialy (Lam Shamsiyya)
  • Lama Abdulwahaab (Share’ Al A’sha)

Favourite Male Influencer

  • Abo Khalil (Ibrahim AlOmry)
  • Osama Marwa
  • Aziz Bin Mohammed
  • MjrmGames (Rayan Al-Ahmari)

Favourite Female Influencer

  • Esraa Nabil
  • Ayatee
  • Rateel Alshehri
  • Sherin Amara

Favourite Male Athlete

  • Salem Al Dawsari
  • Saleh Abualshamat
  • Nawaf AlAqidi
  • Yassine Bounou

Favourite Female Athlete

  • Dunya Aboutaleb (Taekwondo)
  • Valerie Tarazi (Swimming)
  • Layla AlQahtani (Football)
  • Haniya Minhas (Tennis)

More than an Awards Night

The Joy Awards 2026 felt less like a ceremony and more like a checkpoint. A moment to pause and recognize how interconnected the scene has become across screens, stadiums, and social platforms. The results reflect trust, audience alignment, and cultural ownership. This is what makes the event matter. It captures where things are heading, and how confidently that direction is being shaped.

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