Saudis sovereign wealth fund - the PIF - bought an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle in 2021; PIF was seriously considering buying Manchester United before taking over their Premier League rivals; Saudi Arabia has spent almost £5bn on sports since the start of 2021, says The Guardian
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund - the Public Investment Fund - was seriously considering buying Manchester United before it bought an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle for £244m in October 2021.Newcastle were taken over by Saudi's investment fund in 2021 and returned to the Champions League this season after 20 years away
Saudi Arabia has also made significant investments in golf, boxing, Formula One and tennis. The FIFA Club World Cup is being held in the country for the first time in December and its long-term ambition is to host the World Cup in 2034.Cristiano Ronaldo is one of many high-profile players in the Saudi Pro League
Human Rights Watch has added:"Saudi Arabia spends billions of dollars hosting major entertainment, cultural and sporting events to deflect from the country's poor human rights record".