Arabia Takes Control of Domestic Football to Sportswash Human Rights Record

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is taking over four of the country’s biggest football clubs as part of a broader effort to raise the commercial value of the Saudi Pro League.
The takeover is part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ‘Vision 2030’ project which aims to diversify the Saudi economy beyond oil and open up investment opportunities in the private sector.
The move follows Saudi Arabia’s growing investment in international sports like golf, Formula 1 racing, and boxing to boost the kingdom’s prestige on the global stage and distract from its human rights abuses.
While the NFL and NBA have largely resisted Saudi investment so far, American soccer leagues may be more vulnerable to foreign influence from sovereign wealth funds with questionable reputations.
The Saudi government has faced criticism for using sports to ‘sportswash’ its record of human rights violations, including the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.