Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the World Cup

In the past five years, Saudi Arabia has emerged as an impactful player within world football. State takeover and investment in the domestic Saudi Pro League drove the recruitment of prominent coaches and players from across Europe, luring superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to Riyadh and upending transfer markets. At the club level, Saudi Arabia joined the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as owners of prominent European clubs through the Public Investment Fund’s purchase of Newcastle United. Saudi engagement with governing bodies, such as La Liga and FIFA, brought international tournaments to the kingdom and advanced the globalization of domestic leagues.

On the eve of the Saudi team’s participation in the 2026 World Cup and with Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 World Cup on the horizon, the Arab Gulf States Institute is joined by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen to discuss his new book, Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer. What does the history of football within the kingdom explain about its present ambitions? How does Riyadh’s foray into world football build upon and yet differ from the approaches taken by other Gulf states, such as Qatar and the UAE? How sustainable and durable is the kingdom’s engagement with the sport in the decade-long countdown to the 2034 World Cup?

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