Sportswashing in Saudi Arabia
Formula 1, football, golf – Saudi Arabia makes a point of attracting major sporting events. The strategy is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's "Vision 2030" and is meant to boost the country's image. By Andreas Sten-Ziemons
Formula 1: the premier class of motorsport has been racing in Saudi Arabia since 2021. State-owned oil company Aramco is a major sponsor of the racing series. It has also become the principal sponsor of the Aston Martin team
Spanish Supercup: in 2019, 2021 and this year, fans of Spain's top teams had to travel to Saudi Arabia to cheer on their stars in the Supercopa. The contract with the Saudis runs until 2029 and earns La Liga €40 million a year
Italian Supercup: in 2018 and 2019, the Supercoppa Italiana was also staged in Saudi Arabia. Italian clubs had also previously played in Doha and Shanghai
South America summit: the Brazilian Selecao has been selling friendlies abroad for big money for years. In 2018 and 2019, Saudi Arabia secured the Brazilians' prestigious duel against Argentina
Dakar Rally: after ten years in South America, the tradition-steeped desert rally moved to the Arabian Peninsula in 2020. This means it is once again on a stable financial footing and will be held in front of spectators who are enthusiastic about motor sport. The contract runs for five years
Golf: when it comes to golf, Saudi Arabia is aiming to compete with the PGA Tour and lure away the best players with million-dollar salaries for its own tournament series. The Saudi Golf Championship has been part of the European Tour since 2019. The Saudi state fund PIF is a key sponsor
Wrestling: wrestling events have been staged in Saudi Arabia since 2014. The venue has been a repeated cause of disagreement among fans. 2019 saw the first women's fight to be held in the Kingdom. Women had previously been allowed in the audience, albeit only in male company
Chess: in 2017, the world championship in blitz chess was held in Riyadh. A ban on Israelis taking part and a requirement for female participants to wear headscarves and all-enveloping outer garments outside the event hall, however, caused an uproar
Newcastle United: it's not just at home that Saudi Arabia is prepared to pay a premium for sport. In October 2021, the Saudi state fund PIF invested around 350 million euros in premier league club Newcastle United and secured an 80 percent majority share
