Title: Saudi Pro League Kicks Off with Global Stars and Controversy: Is Sportswashing Amelioration or Deception?
The Saudi Pro League is poised to begin amidst an unprecedented wave of attention and scrutiny, as accusations of sportswashing continue to grow. Saudi Arabian clubs have successfully attracted renowned global football stars, including the likes of Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, and Sadio Mane, who are following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The recent €300 million bid made by Al-Hilal for Kylian Mbappe highlights the ambitious nature of the league. However, despite the significant offer, the Paris Saint-Germain striker reportedly declined to engage with officials from the Saudi club.
With eight foreign players allowed per team, the Saudi Pro League is striving to establish itself as a counterpart to the highly popular English Premier League. The media’s attention has been captured, with a growing number of individuals now asking where they can tune in to watch the Saudi Pro League.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, seeking to open its conservative society to the world, has invested heavily in various sports ventures. From Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing to bringing Formula One to Jeddah and hosting the lucrative LIV Golf Tour, Saudi Arabia’s biggest oil exporter is working towards modernizing its economy and reducing its dependency on oil.
Moqbel Al-Zabni, the editor-in-chief of Al Riyadiah newspaper, expressed the nation’s desire for professional football to become a focal point for the Middle East and the Arab world.
The arrival of Ronaldo to play for Al-Nassr in Riyadh marked the beginning of global attention being directed towards the Saudi Pro League’s ongoing efforts to elevate its status. The kingdom has successfully enticed celebrity players, rising stars, and top coaches with their enticing salaries.
Peter Hutton, a British director on the league’s board, has described this project as one of the most significant and determined ventures he has witnessed in his four decades in the sports industry. Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has also commented on the league’s impact on the football market, foreseeing an influx of more high-profile players choosing to move to Saudi Arabia.
Despite the successes, there remains criticism that the kingdom’s lavish spending is an attempt to divert attention from its human rights record. While the media focuses on the attraction of top players, the long and harsh prison sentences imposed on activists are often overshadowed.
However, there are challenges to overcome before Saudi Arabia can reach the pinnacle of global football. Egyptian sports journalist and TV host Amir Abd Elhalim highlights the importance of respecting contracts and entitlements of new players as a crucial test for the Saudi Pro League.
Recently, FIFA imposed a transfer ban on Al-Nassr for failing to pay £390,000 to Leicester City for the 2018 transfer of Nigerian striker Ahmed Musa. Such challenges reveal that Saudi football is still a work in progress, with around five to ten years needed to determine its long-term sustainability and fundamental changes, according to Simon Chadwick, a professor at Skema Business School in Paris.
The performance of Saudi clubs in the Asian Champions League will serve as a litmus test, as will the league’s ability to sustain long-term engagement from football fans, who traditionally flock to watch the English Premier League from all corners of the globe.
The real question that remains is whether Saudi Arabia can emulate the success of the English Premier League and become a global destination for football enthusiasts. Will we witness Chinese and German tourists heading to Riyadh to indulge in the magic of the Saudi Pro League? Only time will tell.
