In early 2023, Christiano Ronaldo introduced himself to a packed stadium of soccer fans chanting his name, nothing new for one of soccer’s all-time greats who made a name for himself playing for the biggest clubs in the world. Yet this time, the stakes of Ronaldo’s arrival were not simply trophies and goals, but the genesis of a multi-billion dollar project to thrust Saudi Arabia into the spotlight of world soccer.
In the summer that followed, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund took control of the Saudi Pro League’s biggest clubs. Backed by the nation’s immense wealth, these teams immediately began offering unprecedented contracts to some of the world’s most talented players. Neymar Jr., Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, and dozens more inked lucrative deals for a combined cost of $957 million in transfer fees alone. This doesn’t account for the record-setting wages given out to lure talent away from their previous clubs.
It didn’t take long for people to identify this rapid investment as an attempt at “sportswashing”, which refers to “the use of sport to redirect public attention away from unethical conduct,” as defined by the Australian Human Rights Institute.
Another recent, yet strong example of sportswashing was Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Fans remember the tournament as a success, particularly the final that was regarded as one of the greatest matches ever played. However, they overlooked the harsh treatment of migrant workers behind this carnival. Inhumane living conditions, withheld and unfair wages, geographical segregation, and thousands of deaths were swept under the rug while pundits discussed games played in stadiums they built.
Saudi Arabia has a long history of human rights violations. The government is given free rein to function as it pleases, blocking basic freedoms, prohibiting LGBTQ+ relationships, and unjustly executing migrants and citizens alike. Between early 2021 and summer 2023, Saudi Arabia spent over $6.3 billion on sports to cover up these offenses, much of that on the Saudi Pro League.
The danger of sportswashing is obscure in regards to average fans who see these massive transfer fees and emerging leagues as an exciting development in the soccer world rather than a sinister tool utilized by some of the most dangerous regimes in world history. Nevertheless, the Saudi Pro League is already in the process of failure due to its poor strategy, which will jeopardize players’ careers and the country’s best interests on its way out.
Despite the attractive names and novelty of the league as a whole, attendance has already become a glaring issue. For example, this season’s games have drawn an average of only 7,479 fans compared to 8,176 in the 2021-2022 season before the bulk of the investment took place. Earlier this season, a game made headlines for being played in front of only 670 fans, an improvement compared to last season’s record low of 117. Players who were promised of a league destined to challenge the hierarchy of world soccer now find themselves playing in front of crowds no better suited to high school soccer games.
It is precisely the league’s half-baked design that causes these astoundingly low numbers. Because only four teams are backed by the Public Investment Fund, the rest of the league faces the challenge of competing with significantly reduced resources. Unless it’s two Public Investment Fund-backed teams facing off, the on-field product is simply below what the spectators expect.
Moreover, the Saudi spending spree largely spared stars at the peak of their powers, targeting aging or injury-prone superstars instead. Some have remained injured (Neymar Jr. missed a full year after only five appearances) while others have seen their level of play dramatically decline. To the average soccer fan, a player signed to a Saudi club is one signing their career away in favor of a high salary. Player values fell 16 percent from a combined $1.29 billion to $1.08 billion in just three months after the end of the infamous 2023 spending.
Some players have opted to leave altogether such as former English Premier League Stars Allan Saint-Maximan and Jordan Henderson, the latter of which openly admitted his mistake in making the move. Henderson had previously been a prominent ally of the LGBTQ+ community in England and faced significant backlash after making the move to Saudi.
Even though the life-altering amount of money is enough for some stars to risk their careers, as the incentives for the league to overpay foreign stars begin to dwindle, attendance will continue to fall through the floor. After the big names leave league teams and the Public Investment Fund decides to invest elsewhere, the world will see the nature of the Saudi Pro League for what it is and always has been: a lazy attempt to sportswash a nation’s image.
The Zeitgeist aims to publish ideas worth discussing. The views presented are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board.
