Saudi Arabia is making a substantial push to secure a prominent position in world football, attracting some of the sport's biggest talents to the country through a $1 billion spending spree.
The Saudi Pro League is banking on the likes of five-times Champions League winner Cristiano Ronaldo, reigning Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema and Brazilian striker Neymar – the competition's record buy at a reported $98 million – to drive up attendance figures, draw in extra TV viewers and bring in major sponsorships.
The kingdom is clearly shooting for the stars under an ambitious sporting strategy led by its sovereign Public Investment Fund, which has taken controlling stakes in four of the country's leading clubs, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al Ahli, to oversee the bold vision.
Bringing top athletes such as Ronaldo, Benzema and Neymar is a game changer in more ways than one
Seif Swailam,
sports management specialist, PwC Middle East
Saudi leadership wants to position the Saudi Pro League as one of the top 10 football leagues in the world and also have their eyes on hosting a World Cup, following the success of the global spectacle in Qatar last year.
The significant outlay is showing signs of paying off – though there is still much work to do to compete with the commercial juggernaut of England's Premier League and boost attendances which average at 8,500 so far this season.
The SPL said this month that the number of sponsors has grown about 75 per cent this season, claiming the competition has become the third most profitable league in the world in relation to sponsorship revenue.
Here, The National examines the rapid rise of the Saudi top flight and talks to insiders and experts on how it is aiming to achieve its lofty goals.
The Ronaldo effect
Seif Swailam, a sports consultant in Riyadh, believes there is a long-term plan behind the heavy investment in players such as Ronaldo.
“Bringing top athletes such as Ronaldo, Benzema and Neymar is a game changer in more ways than one,” he said.
“Not only does it promote Saudi football but also the country’s 2030 vision. As part of their bid preparation to host the 2030 World Cup, some of the current superstars will act as ambassadors to boost Saudi Arabia’s chances to host such a big event.”
Attracting world-renowned players is crucial to the growth of a once unheralded league, in no small part thanks to the fact that it opens the door to secure the support of sportswear's big three of adidas, Nike and Puma.
In July, Al Nassr announced that Nike – which enjoys a lifetime deal with the club's marquee player Ronaldo – would be their new kit supplier.
Although financial terms were not revealed, it is likely to be a lucrative partnership, with 38-year-old Ronaldo viewed as integral to getting the deal over the line.
Nike also produce kits for Al Ittihad, which count former Real Madrid forward Benzema and France's World Cup winner N'Golo Kante among their ranks.
Al Nassr's commercial team have been busy since Ronaldo swapped Manchester United for the Middle East in December.
In June, the club signed a platinum sponsorship agreement with King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company, whose KAFD branding is now front and centre on the team's shirt.
A month later, a three-year gold sponsorship was signed with Aroya Cruises, Saudi Arabia's first domestic cruise line.
The value of the agreements has not been disclosed.
Ronaldo's impact is also apparent in the huge upsurge in the club's social media presence. Al Nassr had about 860,000 followers on Instagram before his arrival – a figure which is now fast approaching 20 million.
Influence beyond the pitch
Meanwhile, Al Hilal is now home to both Neymar and Puma, with whom he signed a $28 million-a-year agreement in 2020.
Puma and Al Hilal announced a five-year partnership in June. In September, the club unveiled a stylish new Puma-designed kit inspired by the phases of the moon.
“It’s the best of both worlds to be partners with a football giant like Al Hilal and have Neymar, a well-known and reputable Puma athlete, on board wearing our kit,” Taner Seyis, general manager of Puma Middle East, told The National.
“Neymar is a Puma athlete who has sported our football boots in different iconic games previously, watching him become a part of Al Hilal increases our drive to innovate further as we strengthen our bond with Al Hilal and the region.
“We have immense belief in our thriving region, and how football will continue to prosper in it.”
Adidas has agreements with another of Saudi's big four, Al Ahli, as well as with the national team.
Raising the league's profile
It is not just individual clubs reaping the rewards.
In August, the SPL said it had secured a series of broadcast deals to televise Saudi games in more than 130 countries.
The league has teamed up with DAZN in multiple territories (Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, and the UK) as well as major European broadcasters Canal+ (France), Sport TV (Portugal), La 7 (Italy), Marca.com (Spain) and Cosmote (Greece), among others.
Last year, Saudi real estate company Roshn paid $127 million for the naming rights to the pro league in a five-year deal.
Unfinished business
Mohammed Sayeed Khan, an independent management consultant and a researcher with a focus on Middle East sport and culture, said that despite the presence of Puma, Nike and adidas, international brands are largely missing out on chance to be part of the league's rise.
He said the majority of brand and kit sponsorship deals still come from the local market at this stage.
Mr Khan said the shirts of Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli were not available to purchase on the official adidas and Nike KSA online stores, even after the 2023-24 season kicked off.
“The international sportswear brands sponsoring the SPL football clubs are failing to capitalise on this golden opportunity to increase jersey sales, and in turn revenue, in the Mena region,” he said.
Mr Khan said that international brands as a whole have largely shunned opportunities to sponsor the SPL football clubs so far, a decision he feels is misguided.
“The international brands need to realise the potential of SPL and its constituent football clubs, given the presence of superstar athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.”
What next for SPL?
Izzy Wray, of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said Saudi's ambitious player recruitment policy underlines its intention to challenge the European football elite for years to come.
“The ambitious number of player acquisitions and the calibre of players signed by Saudi Pro League clubs demonstrate the kingdom’s commitment to propelling the SPL to become a leading football league on the world stage,” she said.
“This is still early days of what we can call phase one of the Saudi Pro League project, and the futuristic view is also reflected by the lowered average age of the league compared to last season.”
“The SPL spending is still at one-third of the Premier League’s gross spend this summer, the focus of Saudi clubs will now be on securing the success of the league’s transformation journey and its financial sustainability. The development of the league will depend on growing the professionalisation and governance of clubs, the development of young playing talent and attracting a new, international fan base.”
With Saudi clubs not restricted by financial spending caps in place in Europe, expect another big summer for the league in 2024.
Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah – strongly linked with a move in August – could be a top target again, offering SPL the opportunity to bring the Arab world's greatest player to its fastest-growing league.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
More on animal trafficking
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
