Inside Saudi Arabia's wild football experiment

By Frankie Taddeo

Before we dive in, let's consider the history of Riyadh's Al-Awwal Park. Not too long ago, this area was a desert, and before that, it was underwater. About 250 million years ago, during the time of dinosaurs, much of the Arabian Peninsula was covered by a vast ancient sea, bustling with life like algae and tiny creatures. When these organisms died, their remains sank to the ocean floor and got trapped. Over time, pressure, heat, and geological movements turned them into crude oil.

As millennia went by, dinosaurs vanished, continents moved, and sea levels fell, unveiling a rugged desert terrain. People later inhabited this land, and after numerous struggles, Ibn Saud founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the early 20th century. Then, fortune smiled upon them: explorers stumbled upon vast oil and gas reserves left behind by the ancient sea, catapulting the ruling family into immense wealth.

Amidst these changes, another significant transformation occurred: the emergence of football online betting. This new form of entertainment gained popularity, allowing people to wager on their favorite sports events, including football matches.

The main point is that places change over time - sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly. And it's important to remember that while money doesn't grow on trees, in certain places, it can be found flowing freely from the earth.

Fast forward to present day. In a place that used to be just rocks and dirt, now stands a modern football stadium. It's a warm Friday evening in Riyadh, and it's match night in the Saudi Pro League. Fans of the home team, Al-Nassr, are flooding into the stadium. Outside, a group of very polite hardcore fans have formed a human tunnel, singing songs and giving out treats and free football shirts. Inside the stadium, fans wearing yellow-and-blue scarves over their traditional Saudi clothing are lining up for snacks and drinks, chatting eagerly about the chance to see their new superstar. They still can't believe it: Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary player who has won the Champions League five times and is considered one of the best ever, is here in Saudi Arabia!

"The GOAT! The Greatest of All Time, coming to my team?" says Ghaida Khaled, a fan of Al-Nassr, her eyes shining with excitement from behind her niqab. "This is history in the making!"

The fans here in Saudi Arabia, just like football fans everywhere, are still amazed by Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to join Al-Nassr, even a year after he left Europe. Reportedly earning over £150 million annually, Ronaldo's move to the mid-sized Saudi Pro League club was unprecedented. While other aging football stars have been lured to the Middle East with lucrative offers, none have had Ronaldo's level of fame and success. Instead of seeing him as a 37-year-old seeking one last big paycheck, people recognized that this was something much bigger.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS), has been undergoing a rapid transformation. This is part of a national effort called Vision 2030 to turn the kingdom into a global economic powerhouse and reduce its reliance on oil revenue. As part of this vision, the government, influenced by MBS, is investing billions in projects like Neom, a futuristic city on the Red Sea, as well as in sports like golf, Formula 1, boxing, tennis, and the America’s Cup. Some critics have accused these investments of "sportswashing," using sports to divert attention from human rights issues. MBS has dismissed these accusations, stating that if sportswashing boosts the country's GDP, then he's all for it. Regardless of the controversies, football, with its massive global audience, is seen as the ultimate prize for Saudi Arabia. So, the government is determined to turn the Pro League into a major competitor to leagues like the Premier League or La Liga.

Ronaldo's arrival at Al-Nassr was just the beginning. In June, six months after he joined, the Public Investment Fund, which oversees Saudi Arabia's significant wealth, acquired a controlling stake in four of the kingdom's top teams: Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, and Al-Hilal. This sparked a frenzy of big-money transfers. Al-Ittihad snagged French striker Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, while Al-Ahli signed Riyad Mahrez, a Champions League winner with Manchester City. Sadio Mané from Bayern Munich joined Ronaldo and other top players at Al-Nassr. Almost every day, it seemed like a player from a renowned European club was heading to Saudi Arabia to sign with teams that most of them probably hadn't even heard of before.

While European clubs have occasionally spent millions to build Super Teams – like Real Madrid's galácticos eras or Manchester City's current squad – what was happening in Saudi Arabia was unprecedented. No one had ever attempted to buy an entire league before. This raised deeper questions about sports, human rights, and fan loyalty. Would players really want to move to unfamiliar teams in an unknown league, in a country not known for its welcoming reputation? Would anyone even watch these matches? And perhaps most importantly, should they?

If you're wondering why Saudi Arabia might seem like an unusual place for a football league, you're not alone. There are a few reasons why it's a bit surprising. For one, the summer temperatures can soar up to 50°C, and parts of the country are covered by vast deserts. Plus, Saudi Arabia doesn't have any rivers, so it has to get much of its water from the sea and then desalinate it in large plants. Most buildings rely heavily on air conditioning to combat the heat. And when outdoor sports are played, it's usually late at night when it's cooler. Even then, temperatures on the field can still be over 35°C.

But despite the challenging climate, when you arrive in Riyadh, the capital city, what strikes you most is the sheer amount of construction. Cranes dot the skyline, indicating ongoing development projects. Everywhere you look, there are signs advertising new buildings or complexes – towering skyscrapers, entertainment areas, and fancy housing estates. Along the modern highways, you'll see images of the crown prince and the king, King Salman, on billboards, projecting a sense of progress and authority. It's common in Saudi Arabia to have a portrait of the king in public places, so you'll often find them in shops, restaurants, and hotels. While it might seem a bit unusual to outsiders, displaying the king's portrait is considered a normal part of Saudi culture.

But this is the new Saudi Arabia: a place that's becoming more open and relaxed. Since MBS took control in 2017, life has changed a lot. Now, women can go out without covering their hair, play sports freely, and even drive cars. The religious police, who used to patrol the streets and enforce strict rules, have lost much of their power. However, MBS has also tightened his grip on the security services, arrested his opponents, and at one point detained many influential people, including some of his own relatives, in a luxury hotel that became a temporary prison. Justice Square, once notorious for public executions, has been transformed into a pleasant pedestrian area with a bookstore and trendy coffee shop, although executions still happen, but in more private locations.