The country has spent billions recruiting the sports biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo, as another season kicks off Friday
“I’ve worked in sport for 40 years and I’ve never seen a project as big, as ambitious and as determined to be a success,” Peter Hutton, who sits on the Pro League's board, told the BBC.Why is Saudi Arabia investing so much in soccer?
, which had previously relied on the government to pay off their debts. The move paved the way for increased sponsorship deals, merchandising, and ticket sales that Saudi officials hope will help diversify their oil-dependent economy. To some degree, soccer is also being used as a tool to liberalize social mores in the ultra-conservative kingdom. 2018 marked the first time
Moqbel al-Zabni, the editor-in-chief of the Saudi capital’s ar-Riyadiyah newspaper, told Al Jazeera that officials want “the compass of professional football to point to the Middle East and the Arab world.”
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