They also staged the Ngannou vs. Fury boxing match, which drew a lot of celebrities, and are organising a Ngannou vs. Anthony Joshua battle. They’re pursuing a 2034 FIFA World Cup bid and investing considerably in golf. They may have invested in other sports and events I’m unaware of.

Saudi Arabia imports world-class athletes from other countries and leagues because they have few talented athletes at home. Like they’re creating a sports culture in their country from scratch.

What Major Sporting Events is Saudi Arabia Hosting?

Public Investment Fund (PIF): This is the sovereign fund of Saudi Arabia which also owns the LIV Golf series and is having mergers with the PGA Tour amidst legal litigation and probability of having splits in the sport business.

Controlling Stakes: As owner of controlling stakes of the English Premier League club Newcastle United and four local football teams – Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli, they are seen to have probable undue benefit over player transfers.

Esports and MMA Investments: PIF had also sold their interest firmly in the McLaren Group but still made millions worth investments in esports and have a minority stake in the Professional Fighters League with hopes to promote and create an MMA League in Saudi Arabia.

International Sports Hub: Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the top international sports hubs with regards to hosting 85 sports events with the likes of WWE, horse racing, football, golf, boxing, Formula 1 etc.

Recent Events: Recently, the nation had For the first time ever , hosted the Club World Cup along with an Americas Cup sailing regatta and an ATP tennis tournament in Jeddah.

How Are Saudi Investments Impacting Global Sports?

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, the Sports Minister of Saudi Arabia, explained to Sport that this substantial investment of five billion pounds made in the last three years is structured on enticing the youth with exercise, enhancing global exposure, tourism, job creation, and development of sports federations.

As per the information delivered during Prince Mohammed Bin Salman dated September, the sport sector was noted to have augmented the GDP structure by one percent and as per expectations, would show further branching growth,

This in turn lays a foundation for mobilizing up thoughts, that his ‘Vision 2030’ framework policy proposed back in 2016 seeks to do by enhancing the economic structure of Saudi Arabia through use of sport.

The enhancement of Saudi Arabia sport on huge levels has raised concerns and garnered criticism as many voices believe it is a way to deflect attention from the countries treatment of human rights and the environment which tag the investment as ‘Sportwashing’.

Of late, initiatives like these have garnered accusations with concern to Russia and China alongside Qatar, alleging all three put sport into such practice.

Some organizations speculate Saudi Arabia is attempting to rebrand itself along with reintegrating into the global sport community post the tika Khashoggi assassination, which took place back in 2018.

Prince Abdulaziz called sportswashing charges “very shallow” and denied any connection to human rights. Pointing to the amount of girls and women playing football, he said sport drives reform and progress.

Critics concede that Saudi Arabia has made some strides in social construction in the last few years, for instance, they egalize women driving and attending football matches, but economic growth has come with increased number of executions and online activists arrests.

They also note that homosexuality is outlawed and the male guardianship system restricts women’s rights. The Yemen conflict and free speech restrictions are also controversial.

Overshadowing this year’s Qatar World Cup were concerns regarding fan safety and migrant labour abuse for the 2034 World Cup. Saudi Arabia claims everyone is welcome and workers’ rights are unaffected.

Due to fears of a second ‘Arab Spring’, many analysts believe the country’s sports policy is driven by international prominence and reputation as well as domestic security.

Saudi Arabia may aim to compete with surrounding petro-states like the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, which are also sporting hotspots.

Reddit reader said

Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth allows its officials to spend lavishly on sports, a Reddit user said.

However, the global shift away from carbon fuels means Saudi Arabia must diversify its income streams to preserve economic stability.

The commentator claims that Saudi Arabia is willing to pay outrageous sums to recruit ageing sports stars to market the country as a sports destination.

Like the Qatar World Cup, high-profile sports events are considered as a way to improve the nation’s international image and distract from its human rights abuses and intolerance.

The reader concludes that the Saudi elite may be tired of excessive spending and seeking fresh investments in sports.

Greenwashing’ claims

Aramco's branding at a football stadium during a major match.
Aramco enhances its global presence through strategic football sponsorships. Source Getty Images

Greenwashing refers to an advertising strategy wherein firms misrepresent or lie to consumers about the environmental impacts of their products.

Some environmental groups argue Saudi sport initiatives, particularly Aramco sponsorships, are meant to deflect from the country’s sustainability record.

Aramco sponsors F1 and cooperates with the International Cricket Council worldwide. It is reportedly shopping for a high FIFA sponsorship.

Despite a recent research identifying 312 Saudi sponsorship arrangements spanning 21 sports and multi-sport events, the Saudis dispute this.

At the COP28 climate meetings in Dubai, the world’s largest oil producer reportedly blocked robust fossil fuel phase-out wording.

Saudi Arabia plans to grow billions of trees and switch to renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2060. As part of Saudi Arabia’s greening, Neom is a proposed car-free, carbon-free eco-city.

After Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia was considering hosting the 2034 World Cup in summer despite extreme temperatures, experts are concerned about the environmental impact and carbon footprint, especially since cooling systems and water desalination require a lot of energy.

No matter the date, infrastructure construction and flight emissions for a 48-team tournament would leave a large carbon impact.

Professor Richard Betts of the Met Office and Exeter University claimed a 2034 summer World Cup “would see temperatures of around 50C, which will significantly increase the risk of heat stress for players, families and supporters”.

Health director Maria Neira said: “When we look ahead, if ambitious decisions are not taken, extreme heat and polluted air will create very challenging conditions for the millions of people at a Saudi World Cup in 2034.”

Saudi Ministry of Sport was approached for comment.

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