Saudi Arabia’s Football Venture: A New Global Sporting Power

Saudi Arabian football is going through a revolutionary phase as the Gulf state aims to become a global footballing hub in the upcoming years.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has made significant investments in top European football clubs, including a major stake in Premier League side Newcastle United in 2021, as it seeks to raise its profile globally.

Sponsorship deals have also been struck with LaLiga to promote Saudi's Riyadh Season, along with shirt partnership deals with the likes of Serie A’s AS Roma.

Atletico Madrid’s stadium rights were bought by Saudi state airline Riyadh Air.

Meanwhile, the PIF has allocated large sums to support Saudi football, both domestically and internationally.

The fund is involved as well in the development of football infrastructure, including stadiums and training facilities, to improve the quality of football within the kingdom.

These ventures are part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to diversify its economy, reduce its reliance on oil, and promote football as part of Vision 2030.

In 2023, the PIF moved to back local Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs, like Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli.

It has assisted these clubs in their quest to sign prominent international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, Ivan Toney, and others to raise the overall quality of their domestic competitions.

These high-profile signings reflect the growing ambition of the SPL to compete on the international stage.

The league immediately attracted fans, due to the presence of these stars.

The impact can not be overstated as major global networks rushed in to acquire the rights to broadcast Saudi Pro League matches for viewers across the world.

Fans went on to share videos, posts, and news in unprecedented numbers across social media platforms, clearly demonstrating the influence the SPL managed to achieve in a short period of time.

The PIF has clear long-term plans to use its financial clout to help the kingdom become a key player in global football governance, and in sports industry in general, and so far things are going according to plan.
 

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