Is Saudi Arabia becoming more influential in sport?

CGTN Europe

FIFA has confirmed Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 men’s football World Cup.  CGTN’s Siobhan McCall tells us more about the host country’s increasing influence in sport.

Transcript

00:00Thanks, Jamie. Yes, Saudi Arabia is having a growing influence in sport and hosting the World Cup will be their greatest victory

00:07The Saudi Pro League has attracted some of biggest names in football including Cristiano Ronaldo

00:13Saudi sovereign well-found

00:15Majority owns Premier League Club and Newcastle United and it is a major investor in live golf high-profile events including f1s

00:22Grand Prix's the WTA tennis finals and boxing have also been held in the country recently

00:28Well, it's all part of vision 2030 which aims to diversify the economy away from oil and transform Saudi

00:36Arabia's social economic and global standing Saudis public investment fund is committing

00:42266 billion dollars including on major sporting events like the World Cup

00:48While at the Saudi World Cup, there will be 15 stadiums 11 of which will be new including the showpiece neon stadium

00:54That will be built 350 meters above ground

00:58improvements to transport networks in the building of around

01:02180,000 new hotel rooms are underway under the tourism development of that vision 2030

01:08The bid was unopposed, but it also scored very highly with FIFA

01:13Saudi's proposal was given a 4.2 average the highest ever bid for a World Cup bid

01:19Many human right groups have expressed concern over the country's record

01:23But FIFA marked it medium risk and the head of Saudi's bid says improvements have already been made

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended