What is going on in Saudi Arabian football?
Some serious investments
If you are a follower of football, it will have been tough to miss the recent increase in talk of the Saudi Arabian Roshn Saudi League. With legends of the game-deciding to move to Saudi Arabia in moves we haven’t previously seen. Why is this happening, and is it going to last?
No shortage of cash
Saudi Arabia is a country with vast wealth, mostly coming from their incredible oil reserves, state-owned oil company Aramco is the third largest company in the world by market cap, valued at over two trillion dollars. There is a concerted effort to diversify their economy and sport is seen as a driver of this.
Public Investment Fund![]()
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, started back in the 1970s, its goal is to invest the state’s money both internally and internationally. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the current Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and head of the PIF.
Making their own ‘top 4’
Football has always been popular in Saudi, with Riyadh and Jeddah being home to two teams each. Riyadh-based Al Hilal and Al Nassr, along with Jeddah’s Al Ahli and Al Ittihad have been chosen by the PIF for investment, with the fund taking 75% stakes in each of the clubs.
How will this work?![]()
To outsiders, this may seem a strange setup, with one body owning the four biggest clubs, but the Saudis see it as a way of raising the level of the league as a whole. If these four teams are able to attract stars, it could attract more investment and snowball into a competitive league.
Signing Ronaldo 
After leaving Manchester United in controversial circumstances, Ronaldo was a free agent and Al Nassr jumped at the chance to sign the Portuguese. This was a statement of intent from Saudi, showing they are willing to do whatever it takes to sign the big stars. In this case, it is costing Al Nassr $215 million a year to sign the ex-Real Madrid star.
Attracting Benzema ![]()
Not to be outdone by their city and league rival, Al Ittihad unveiled Balon d’Or winner Karim Benzema at their King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah. The Frenchman was greeted by 62,000 fans.
In his own words
Benzema himself was quick to point out how important the signing of Ronaldo was for Saudi football, saying, “It’s important also that Cristiano Ronaldo is in Saudi Arabia because he’s a very big player. He brings a lot to the game in this country and that will further elevate their playing level”.
Missing out on Messi ![]()
Desperate for a star of their own, and to rekindle a legendary rivalry, Al Hilal were intent on signing Lionel Messi after his departure from Paris Saint Germain. Messi is already an ambassador for the country so the deal seemed to make sense, but despite being offered a two-year deal worth $1,000,000,000, Messi chose to play in America instead.
The controversy around Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a country with a dreadful human rights record, with homosexuality illegal and women’s rights being restricted, how many other players will make the move to the gulf state is not yet known, but with the money being put on the table, it will tough to say no.
Will this work?
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The Saudi Pro League is currently ranked 58th in the world, comparable to Serie C in Italy, so to grow the league into something commensurate with a top European league seems a long way to go, and this certainly isn’t the first time a country has tried to buy their way to the top of football…
A dangerous precedent
Back in the mid-2010s, the Chinese Super League was looking to do something similar to the Saudis, bringing in stars such as Hulk and Ramires from Zenit Saint Petersburg and Chelsea respectively. The league seemed destined to attract the big stars with Oscar signing for Shanghai SIPG aged just 25 and in his prime, his £400,000-a-week an unheard-of figure for the time.
So what happened?![]()
Ultimately China’s plan fell apart due to a change in priorities, with the state deciding there was a limited need for football to play a roll in their global political powerplays. Taxes and wage limits saw the end of this venture only a few years after it began.
What’s next for Saudi football?
The PIF have a controlling stake in Newcastle United and their investment already seems to be paying off, with the Geordie side finishing in fourth place and securing Champions League football. Owning a club of Newcastle’s stature is a significant step for the Saudis and they will use The Magpies as their flagship abroad.
Within the league![]()
Within the Saudi Pro League, the plan, according to The Athletic’s Adam Crafton is simple with Saudi Arabia, “interested in basically every famous player over the age of 30. That appears to be the target market at the moment. They want big names, they want a splash”. Ngolo Kante is the most recent big name linked with a move.
Fascinating to follow
