More Than Money: The Success of Saudi Arabia’s Sports Strategy

The uniting power of international sport is overcoming the politics of sportswashing as Saudi Arabia joins a world of fans.

There’s a saying in sports journalism: “The answer to all your questions is money.” But in the case of Saudi Arabia’s massive sports investment programs during the reign of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, money is not the whole story.

In a simple sense, there is a clear profit motive. With US$925 billion in assets in 2023, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund exists to convert oil revenues into even greater national income.

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