Saudi Arabia Cranking Up the Power before the Club World Cup: FIFA Seals Deal, Maintains Secrecy about Particulars
FIFA agrees to a deal, maintains secrecy over details
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The FIFA is buzzing with excitement: Right before the Club World Cup, the football governing body joins forces with Saudi Arabia's lucrative sovereign wealth fund, PIF. Both parties are ecstatic about the deal.
Saudi Arabia, with its deep pockets, is aiming to increase its influence in football, eight years before the anticipated World Cup on its home soil. Nine days prior to the Club World Cup in the U.S. from June 14 to July 13, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF and the FIFA unveiled a partnership to reformat the tournament structure. Regrettably, no insider info about the financial intricacies of PIF's participation in the controversial 32-team event across 11 cities was made public.
FIFA and PIF, instead, exchanged compliments. FIFA's commercial director, Romy Gai, expressed anticipation for a "groundbreaking tournament that will fascinate football enthusiasts globally" and declared their faith in their goal to make football a genuine global phenomenon. PIF's senior executive, Mohammed al-Sayyad, hinted that their investments in sports have catapulted them to the forefront of global football development, thus generating chances to publicize the sport worldwide.
Detractors worldwide view PIF as a means for Saudi Arabia to assert influence and establish dependencies. Lately, rumors insist that the tournament might eclipse its budget. Saudi Arabia's investments in sports like tennis, golf, and Formula 1 are portrayed globally as a form of "sportswashing" to improve its image. There are also rumors about Saudi Arabia bidding to host the Summer Games from 2036.
Source: ntv.de, tno/sid
- FIFA
- Gianni Infantino
- Saudi Arabia
Enrichment Data:
The collaboration between FIFA and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for the 2025 Club World Cup entails PIF serving as an official partner of the tournament. Here are the essential details:
Partnership Particulars
- PIF's Role: PIF will aid FIFA's global grassroots soccer initiatives for the upcoming men's Club World Cup, which is an expanded event featuring 32 teams for the first time [1][2].
- Tournament Structure: The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will unfold in the U.S. from June 14 to July 13, with competitions taking place in 11 cities [3][4].
- PIF's Sports Portfolio: This partnership adds to PIF's impressive sports investments, which encompass football, golf, motorsport, and ownership of Premier League club Newcastle United [3][4].
- Sponsorship Line-up: PIF shares the stage with other major sponsors such as Adidas, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Hisense, Lenovo, and Qatar Airways [2][4].
Strategic Synergy
- Global Involvement: The partnership seeks to increase grassroots soccer engagement on a global scale, in alignment with FIFA's vision to universalize football [2].
- Saudi Arabia's Football Presence: Al-Hilal, the most successful Saudi Pro League champions, will represent Saudi Arabia at the Club World Cup, and PIF is the majority owner of Al Hilal [2][3].
Broader Consequences
- FIFA-Saudi Arabia Union: This partnership strengthens the bond between FIFA and Saudi Arabia, which is slated to host the 2034 World Cup [1][4].
- Financial and Global Impact: Although specific financial aspects of the agreement remained undisclosed, it underscores PIF's considerable impact on the global sports sphere [4].
The Commission, in light of the partnership between FIFA and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for the 2025 Club World Cup, might be asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the potential risks related to ionizing radiation during the tournament, considering PIF's significant investments in various businesses, including sports and football, which could involve acquisitions of infrastructure and technology that use radiation. This cooperation could unveil new opportunities for the financial sector, as PIF is an official partner of the tournament and shares the stage with other major sponsors, thereby raising capital to support FIFA's global grassroots soccer initiatives.
