Explained: Saudi Arabia’s Football Project – Sportswashing, Strategy, or Frenzy?

Amid an astonishing influx of football stars, Saudi Arabia's footballing project has been placed under the scanner.

Everything that you need to know about Saudi Arabia's football project.

(Photo: Twitter/Al Hilal, SPN_En, altered by The Quint)

The first monumental leap was taken on 1 January, when Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr. Since then, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) has experienced an astonishing influx of football icons, with the latest to join the ever-growing list being – Neymar.

As the Brazilian star joins Al Hilal from French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the discussions and debates around Saudi Arabia’s football project have resurfaced again. Here is all you need to know about it:

Which Superstar Footballers Have Signed for Saudi Clubs?

Given Saudi Arabia’s nascent, but unmistakable and rapid penchant for acquiring revered talents across the globe, the question should soon be rephrased to – who has not?

For now, however, let us focus on those who have made the move. The different factions of football fandom can spend days and nights debating on the topic, but indeed, the mass influx was triggered by Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr.

A guaranteed annual salary of €90 million, rising up to €200 million if various clauses were met, presented a transparent picture of what was to follow. Footballers plying their trade in Europe received the memo, and soon, decided to emulate the same route.

Since then, the barrage of stars arriving in Saudi Arabia includes names like:

• Karim Benzema – A five-time UEFA Champions League (UCL) winner with Real Madrid, and Ronaldo’s former teammate.

• N’Golo Kante – A World Cup winner with France.

• Roberto Firmino – UCL winner with Liverpool.

• Jordan Henderson – Former Liverpool skipper.

• Neymar – Brazil’s joint-highest goal-scorer of all time.

Why Are These Players Coming to Saudi Arabia?

Methods of beating around the bush are not scarce, but unfortunately for the Saudi Arabian football promoters, Odion Ighalo either does not know, or could not care enough to learn them.

Hence, when the Nigerian striker – who has been playing in Saudi Arabia for the last three years – was asked about why players are moving to the Middle East, he told OmaSportsTV:

Brother, it's money. At the end of the day, it's money. Is Ronaldo still playing out of passion? Ronaldo has earned 100 times more than I have in my entire life and yet he went to Saudi Arabia. Did he do that out of passion? It's for money, bro.

Odion Ighalo

Indeed, Ronaldo’s aforementioned contract, or Neymar’s reported €150 million per year contract – six times more than his previous remuneration, is a major reason for the exodus from Europe.

Albeit, in an attempt to ensure money does not remain the solitary motivator for a move to Saudi Arabia, teams have also roped in coaches with European pedigree, most recently in the likes of Matthias Jaissle and Marcel Keizer, while they have also ensured in the holistic improvement of squads.

But Why Is Saudi Arabia Investing Heavily in Football?

Among the self-declared ‘purists’ of European football, the knack for denigrating Middle-Eastern football to the term ‘Oil League’ is often evident. The Saudi Arabian administrators, however, are perfectly aware of the necessity to expand beyond oil.

Whilst the wealth of the nation is still powered by fossil fuels, it remains a limited resource, with the sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) now aiming to invest in other, more sustainable sectors to ensure a stable and flourishing economy.

• Capitalising on the nation’s ever-growing love for the sport.

• Making SPL one of the world’s most-watched football competitions.

• Increasing the league's annual revenue by four times, to $1.8 billion.

• Eventually, securing investments from global corporations.

• Altering the international perception of Saudi Arabia – from being an anachronistic state to a thriving hub of progress.

What Are the Sportswashing Allegations Against Saudi Arabia?

Before we delve into the allegations, it will be crucial to know what the term encapsulates.

By definition, Sportswashing refers to a practice wherein organizations, be it states or private entities, utilise sporting events to ‘clean’ their reputation and stature, whilst deviating attention from dubious operations.

With Saudi Arabia ranking 155th among 165 countries in human freedom score (according to World Population Review), and many corporations opting not to have any ties with the state following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, the bid to bring world-class footballers is perceived as a ‘sportswashing project’ by many human rights organisations.

Dana Ahmed, Amnesty International’s Middle East researcher wrote after Ronaldo’s move: “Al-Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo fits into a wider pattern of sportswashing in Saudi Arabia. It is highly likely that the Saudi authorities will promote Ronaldo’s presence in the country as a means of distracting from the country’s appalling human rights record. “

Organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Grant Liberty echoed similar sentiments, urging the global football administrative body (FIFA) to enforce corrective measures.

So, Will Steps Be Taken Against Saudi Arabia?

Unlikely, for it does not seem perfectly vindicable, considering how international football works.

Only a few months ago, the world’s best footballers arrived in another Middle-Eastern nation for the World Cup, wherein questions were asked about the deaths of migrant workers building the stadiums – Qatar.

Not only did Qatar remain unscathed, but in a propitiation bid, FIFA president Gianni Infantino delivered perhaps his best speech, wherein he ‘felt’ a host of things – Qatari, Arabic, gay, disabled, migrant worker.

It will not be a surprise if Saudi Arabia remains unscathed, too.

What Does This Mean for European Football?

Despite the league attracting numerous talented footballers – and most importantly, not all of them nearing retirement ages – European football can rest easy, at least for the time being.

Having an upper hand on viewership and overall quality across sectors, be it purely the standard of football, or the marketing aspects, the recognised European leagues are likely to hold on to their stature for now.

Yet, that being said, it is undeniable that the SPL is making progress at a rate of knots, with stars like Ronaldo and Neymar inevitably garnering global engagement through their individual fanbases.

Will we see the status quo changing? Not immediately, sure, but eventually, maybe.