HighlightSportsTrending Story

How Saudi disrupted the world footballing order

530

The Saudi Pro League also known as Roshn Saudi League (RSL) was founded in 1976, but it was few months ago the league became a force in the global football space.

The Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 is planned to diversify their economy away from fossil fuels and to host 25 world championship across a number of sports including the World Cup.

The original ambition of co-hosting the World Cup with Egypt and Greece has now been effectively abandoned, Persecondnews gathered.

Officials and ministers from the Gulf Kingdom have already communicated with prominent figures in European football to secure support from the continent as a prelude to making an official offer to organize the 25th edition of the FIFA World Cup finals.

The Kingdom is also working towards becoming the top 10 football league in the world by 2030.

The Saudi Pro League dominated the headlines during the last transfer window, spending over £700m on some of the world’s best players, ranking second in the world for national spending behind England’s Premier League.

This was made possible due to the country’s new sports privatization project aiming to increase the market value of the Saudi Pro League from its current $800 million to 2.1 billion by 2030.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund established in 1971, stepped in and took ownership and control of four soccer clubs in the Saudi Pro League—Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli—as part of the Kingdom’s newly announced Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project.

The clubs are being restructured as private companies that will each be 75% owned by the PIF. Each club’s nonprofit foundation will hold the remaining 25% ownership stake.

The league has grown in stature since Cristiano Ronaldo $75 million-per-year contract with Al Nassr FC, the lure of lucrative contract has enticed Europe elite players to ditch European football.

Former Chelsea chief Michael Emenalo, who is spearheading the transformation in the league disclosed that the Saudi football vision “It’s not flash in the pan” but a continuous football developmental process.

Which will also focus on growing “infrastructure, development, academies” to help the quality of the league and “hopefully enhances the sport globally and the business of football worldwide.”

Emenalo said: “It’s not flash in the pan regarding continuous development because football never stops. As far as acquisition is concerned, I don’t anticipate there will continue to be flurry of activity.

“The reason being that we have 18 clubs, and they have an allocation of eight foreign players they can bring in – and a lot of them have filled their allocations, and signed two to four-year contracts, so there will be some stability and I don’t know if there will be a flurry.

“It’s time for us to turn our attention to other parts of growing the league – infrastructure, development, academies, regional school players and the rest of that.”

Leave a comment

Related Articles

N1.3trn fraud: EFCC arrests, grills ex-Delta Gov. Okowa

A former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has been apprehended by the...

Equatorial Guinea government official embroiled in sextape scandal

Mr. Baltasar Engonga, Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF)...

CAF ruling against Libya: Nigerian govt. promises to protect its citizens in Libya

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to...

Polaris Bank wins “Best Mobile App” award at Digital Jurist Awards 2024

For its commitment to digital innovation and excellence, Polaris Bank has again...

Updated: After six years of injustice, Nigeria’s ex-Chief Justice, Onnoghen, finally gets justice

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Monday, overturned the conviction of...

Flood sacks 4 Anambra council areas as Soludo activates 27 IDP camps

By Emmanuel Ndukuba, Awka Floods have devastated four local government areas in...

Four-month salary: NASU, SSANU secure irrevocable commitment from FG, suspend strike

After a six-day strike, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff...

Three radio stations in Abia destroyed by mysterious fire

A mysterious fire has hit three radio stations in Abia in Abia...

Seven new ministers for inauguration on Monday, Nov. 4

President Bola Tinubu will preside over the oath-taking of seven new ministers...

Youth shot dead for playing football near VIP’s house

A 70-year-old man, Mr. Stephen Irobunda, has escaped a mob action in...

Renowned Nigerian filmmaker, director Dimeji Ajibola is dead

Dimeji Ajibola, the acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker behind the popular series Shanty Town,...

Just in: UK Conservative Party elects former Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch as new leader

Former British Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has emerged as the new leader...

Demolition of Abuja N200bln properties: Restrain Wike, Estate Developers Beg Pres. Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to intervene in the alleged demolition...

FirstBank’s retired CEO, Adeduntan, gets presidential commendation

Impressed with his exemplary career trajectory and transformative leadership, President Bola Tinubu...

#EndBadGovernance protests: AGF to Police: Transfer casefiles of 72 defendants to my office

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince...

NAGAFF Taps NPA MD, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, as Keynote Speaker for Silver Jubilee Anniversary

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has announced Dr....

It’s fake news: Fubara did not order shut down of NNPC Ltd, oil companies in Rivers

The Rivers State Government has refuted a report circulating on social media,...

Tinubu to NEC: Allow tax reform bills pass through legislative process, public hearing

President Bola Tinubu has received the National Economic Council’s recommendation that the...

Minister Inspects Bagaja Renewables’ Zawaciki 1MWp Mini-Grid Amid Northern Power Crisis

As northern Nigeria grapples with prolonged power outages, Minister of Power Adelabu...

Just in: Court grants VeryDarkMan N2m bail

Reprieve has come for the detained social media critic, Martins Otse, popularly...