MLS commissioner Don Garber ‘not threatened’ by Saudi league’s growing influence
1 year, 5 months ago

MLS commissioner Don Garber ‘not threatened’ by Saudi league’s growing influence

New York Times  

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said he is “not threatened” by the growing influence of the Saudi Professional League in the global football landscape. Speaking with a small group of reporters ahead of Inter Miami’s event to introduce Lionel Messi to fans at DRV PNK Stadium, Garber said the Saudi league’s growing influence speaks to the efforts in “emerging markets” to have a greater influence in the sport. GO DEEPER Inside the Lionel Messi to Inter Miami deal — seeing off Saudis, equity offers and Beckham and Co.'s secret trip “I remember we were that league and everybody was saying, ‘What’s happening in America with Major League Soccer?’ And then what impact did that have on the rest of the world,” Garber said. The fact that we can spread the power and influence of professional football around the world, I think gives us all or in emerging markets, an opportunity to think that it’s not just about Europe.

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History of this topic

MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s contract extended through 2027
2 weeks, 5 days ago

MLS Commissioner Don Garber’s contract extended through 2027

Associated Press  

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber’s contract has been extended by the league’s Board of Governors through 2027. The league confirmed the extension on Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s MLS Cup final between the LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls. Garber introduced the league’s marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, encouraged construction of soccer-specific stadiums and spurred the growth …

All Saudi top-tier football clubs to go private: ministry
5 months, 2 weeks ago

All Saudi top-tier football clubs to go private: ministry

The Hindu  

The Saudi Pro League’s remaining 14 football clubs are up for privatisation, the sports ministry said, after the sale of four top teams sparked a billion-dollar spending spree on foreign stars. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the top oil exporter’s sovereign wealth vehicle, took a majority stake in Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad last year. Saudi …

Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to miss out on silverware AGAIN but how have Al-Hilal crashed his Saudi Pro League party? Jorge Jesus' side are STILL unbeaten and sit 12 points clear at the top - and all
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to miss out on silverware AGAIN but how have Al-Hilal crashed his Saudi Pro League party? Jorge Jesus' side are STILL unbeaten and sit 12 points clear at the top - and all

Daily Mail  

Is it really a problem to have ONE Premier League game move to the USA? podcast Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr side may not be able to catch Al-Hilal this season Former Al-Nassr manager Rudi Garcia once likened Cristiano Ronaldo's lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League to Pele's transfer to New York Cosmos in 1975. Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr look set to …

MLS Commissioner Don Garber says league is ‘very prepared’ to deal with referee lockout
10 months ago

MLS Commissioner Don Garber says league is ‘very prepared’ to deal with referee lockout

Associated Press  

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s first full season in Major League Soccer started with replacement officials Wednesday when Inter Miami played host to Real Salt Lake, and Commissioner Don Garber said the league is not sure what will happen next. “I can’t remember, in my 40 years in sports, of having a bargaining unit reach an agreement and not …

Saudi Pro League makes key rule change to speed up hunt for star players
11 months, 1 week ago

Saudi Pro League makes key rule change to speed up hunt for star players

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Saudi Pro League has made a rule …

In 2023, the Saudis dove further into sports. They are expected to keep it up in 2024
1 year ago

In 2023, the Saudis dove further into sports. They are expected to keep it up in 2024

Associated Press  

At the dawn of 2023, the specter of Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on pro golf — and sports in general — served not only as a moral conundrum for players and their fans, but also, some argued, as an existential threat to the multibillion-dollar professional-sports industry itself. Making less-dramatic but almost equally important headlines were the continuing talks between the …

Saudi Pro League: Karim Benzema tempted by Saudi Arabia’s ‘huge’ football project
1 year, 2 months ago

Saudi Pro League: Karim Benzema tempted by Saudi Arabia’s ‘huge’ football project

The Hindu  

Karim Benzema was lured by Saudi Arabia’s “huge project” and the fact it is a Muslim country when he decided to end a trophy-laden stint with Real Madrid to move to Al-Ittihad, the French striker said on Wednesday. Benzema became one of many big names to move to the Saudi Pro League when he joined Al-Ittihad as a free agent …

Saudi Arabia is trying to disrupt soccer’s world order. The reasons why might surprise you
1 year, 3 months ago

Saudi Arabia is trying to disrupt soccer’s world order. The reasons why might surprise you

CNN  

CNN — Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says he doesn’t “care” about the country’s investment in sport being described as sportswashing. Patricia de Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images By attracting some of the world’s biggest stars to …

European football is ignorant to the march of the Saudi Pro League
1 year, 3 months ago

European football is ignorant to the march of the Saudi Pro League

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Those present must feel the same as Uefa president Aleksandr Ceferin, who …

Only Premier League clubs spent more on transfers than Saudi Pro League sides
1 year, 3 months ago

Only Premier League clubs spent more on transfers than Saudi Pro League sides

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “This marks the first time since 2016 that another international league has …

VIDEO: Neymar credits Cristiano Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League transformation
1 year, 4 months ago

VIDEO: Neymar credits Cristiano Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League transformation

The Hindu  

Cristiano Ronaldo is responsible for transforming the Saudi Pro League, according to Brazil forward Neymar who is looking forward to facing the Portuguese international when he starts playing for Al-Hilal. Neymar transfer to Al Hilal - Timeline of Brazilian striker’s club career Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, joined Al-Nassr in December on a two-and-a-half-year contract following his acrimonious departure …

Saudi Pro League kicks off after raiding Europe’s top football clubs
1 year, 4 months ago

Saudi Pro League kicks off after raiding Europe’s top football clubs

Al Jazeera  

The Saudi Pro League kicks off on Friday following a year of high-profile transfers and amid criticism that Saudi Arabia’s lavish spending amounts to an attempt to shift the focus from its dire human rights record. “I’m aware of people now asking the question: Where can I watch the Saudi Pro League?” Just a few years after allowing its first …

Saudi Pro league set to kick off new dawn for football
1 year, 4 months ago

Saudi Pro league set to kick off new dawn for football

The Hindu  

When the new Saudi Pro League season kicks off on Friday, it will herald a new dawn for football in the Gulf kingdom which has spent close to half a billion dollars luring top players and coaches from traditional European powerhouses. Al-Ahli, in particular, is one of the few clubs that has benefited from the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s project …

How Saudi football clubs are posing a challenge to European supremacy
1 year, 4 months ago

How Saudi football clubs are posing a challenge to European supremacy

The Hindu  

With Saudi Arabian clubs offering ludicrous deals and managing to attract star players, global attention is diverting from European leagues. Saudi pro league club Al-Hilal made French club Paris Saint Germain an offer of a mind-blowing €300 million for its talismanic forward Kylian Mbappe last week. While Mbappe’s future remains uncertain, the offer is a strong statement from the Saudi …

Which players have signed for the Saudi Pro League?
1 year, 4 months ago

Which players have signed for the Saudi Pro League?

Al Jazeera  

The exodus of big-name footballers making the move from European leagues to Saudi Arabia shows no sign of abating. The five-time UEFA Champions League winner and current Ballon d’Or holder signed a two-year contract, with the option to extend for a third, with the reigning Saudi Pro League champions that is reportedly worth $213m per season. N’Golo Kante: Chelsea to …

MLS on a ‘rocket ship’ headed for new heights with Lionel Messi – Don Garber
1 year, 5 months ago

MLS on a ‘rocket ship’ headed for new heights with Lionel Messi – Don Garber

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Commissioner Don Garber says Major League Soccer is …

MLS commissioner Garber welcomes growth of Saudi Pro League
1 year, 5 months ago

MLS commissioner Garber welcomes growth of Saudi Pro League

The Hindu  

The growth of the Saudi Pro League poses no threat to Major League Soccer but is an opportunity to grow the game around the world, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said on Tuesday. The Saudi league, which is largely bankrolled by the government’s Public Investment Fund, has seen its international profile rise considerably since Cristiano Ronaldo began playing for Al Nassr …

Saudi league is much better than the MLS, says Cristiano Ronaldo
1 year, 5 months ago

Saudi league is much better than the MLS, says Cristiano Ronaldo

The Hindu  

The rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remains intact even with the football stars now plying their trade on different continents. One day after Messi, the 36-year-old Argentinian forward, was officially signed by Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, Ronaldo took a verbal shot at his longtime foe, maintaining that his new league in Saudi Arabia is better than the …

Saudi spending spree won’t harm MLS’s Messi-led global push, says Garber
1 year, 5 months ago

Saudi spending spree won’t harm MLS’s Messi-led global push, says Garber

The Hindu  

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Saudi Arabia’s big spending on international players won’t hamper his league’s plans for a global push after the arrival of Lionel Messi. Englishmen Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, Italians Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini and Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic are among the bigger names to have moved to the North American league. “So I …

FIFA bans Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al-Nassr from registering new players over unpaid debts
1 year, 5 months ago

FIFA bans Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al-Nassr from registering new players over unpaid debts

Live Mint  

FIFA on Thursday said Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi club Al-Nassr are banned from registering new players until unpaid debts are settled. The team "is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts", a FIFA spokesperson told AFP. Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard took over as coach at Al-Ettifaq earlier this month, while Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante have also …

Inside Saudi Arabia’s plan to disrupt global football
1 year, 5 months ago

Inside Saudi Arabia’s plan to disrupt global football

New York Times  

The sun has set on Cristiano Ronaldo’s first six months in Saudi Arabia and he appears optimistic about the future of football there. Saudi Sports Company, which is state-controlled, acquired the domestic rights to the SPL for three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25 and the deal’s value is 10 times the amount the league generates from international rights. Another way …

Saudi Pro League eyes global TV deal after Ronaldo and Benzema arrivals
1 year, 5 months ago

Saudi Pro League eyes global TV deal after Ronaldo and Benzema arrivals

New York Times  

The Saudi Pro League has instructed IMG to secure international broadcast deals ahead of the 2023-24 season. IMG worked with the SPL earlier this year after Cristiano Ronaldo became the first high-profile player to head to Saudi Arabia when he joined Al Nassr in January. Benzema, 35, and Kante, 32, signed for last season’s SPL champions Al-Ittihad — where former …

Saudi Arabia’s lavish recruitment drive rolls on despite Messi miss
1 year, 6 months ago

Saudi Arabia’s lavish recruitment drive rolls on despite Messi miss

Associated Press  

MANCHESTER, England — Missing out on Lionel Messi hasn’t slowed Saudi Arabia’s ambitious recruitment drive as the oil-rich kingdom tries to establish itself as a viable destination for the world’s top players. World Cup and Champions League winner N’Golo Kante became the latest stellar player to head to the lucrative Pro League, signing a three-year contract Wednesday to team up …

Saudi Arabia can help Chelsea solve headache — but talks raise more questions than answers
1 year, 6 months ago

Saudi Arabia can help Chelsea solve headache — but talks raise more questions than answers

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. High-placed sources say this week brings a lot of discussion between Saudi …

UEFA president Čeferin dismisses idea of threat to European football from big spending Saudis
1 year, 6 months ago

UEFA president Čeferin dismisses idea of threat to European football from big spending Saudis

The Hindu  

European football should not be afraid of a player exodus to Saudi Arabian clubs, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said Sunday, suggesting the country was making a mistake investing in stars at the end of their careers. More players are expected to follow after four top Saudi Arabian clubs were effectively nationalized this month when taken into majority ownership by the …

UEFA president Čeferin dismisses idea of threat to European soccer from big-spending Saudis
1 year, 6 months ago

UEFA president Čeferin dismisses idea of threat to European soccer from big-spending Saudis

Associated Press  

GENEVA — European soccer should not be afraid of a player exodus to Saudi Arabian clubs, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said Sunday, suggesting the country was making a mistake investing in stars at the end of their careers. Čeferin was asked by Netherlands broadcaster NOS if he was scared of a player exodus, and answered emphatically: “No, no, no.” “I …

Why has Saudi sovereign fund taken over kingdom’s football clubs?
1 year, 6 months ago

Why has Saudi sovereign fund taken over kingdom’s football clubs?

Al Jazeera  

As more international players join Saudi league, country announces launch of investment and privatisation project in a bid to grow the sport. “Now, they are trying to culturally transform these organisations from being state dependent into being much more purposeful strategic and businesslike organisations.” According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the process aims to encourage the sport’s growth by …

Saudi Arabian soccer league to get more state funding from policy backed by crown prince MBS
1 year, 6 months ago

Saudi Arabian soccer league to get more state funding from policy backed by crown prince MBS

Associated Press  

GENEVA — Cristiano Ronaldo is already in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s push to attract the world’s best players entered another phase Monday when the sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund took a majority ownership stake in four of the country’s top clubs, including Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. Monday’s announcements seemed to effectively nationalize the top level of domestic soccer as a state …

Saudi Arabia privatises football clubs, eyes big-name signings
1 year, 6 months ago

Saudi Arabia privatises football clubs, eyes big-name signings

Al Jazeera  

Saudi Arabia aims to increase the revenue of its football league and bring it up to ‘top 10 in the world’. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund will take control of four of the kingdom’s top football clubs including Al Nassr, which Cristiano Ronaldo plays for, as the government revives a plan to privatise several state-owned sports clubs. The Public Investment …

MLS commissioner Don Garber discusses expansion, Apple TV deal and more in exclusive interview
1 year, 9 months ago

MLS commissioner Don Garber discusses expansion, Apple TV deal and more in exclusive interview

New York Times  

As Don Garber enters his 23rd year as the commissioner of Major League Soccer, the league is at a pivotal moment in its history. Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre once called the idea of MLS owners voting for promotion and relegation akin to “turkeys voting for thanksgiving.” “This is the ‘never say never’ thing,” said Garber. “They don’t have to …

Premier League urged to review Saudi-Newcastle deal
1 year, 9 months ago

Premier League urged to review Saudi-Newcastle deal

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. An American court document filed by lawyers for Saudi-backed …

Cristiano Ronaldo has no Saudi Arabia World Cup clause with Al Nassr, club insists
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo has no Saudi Arabia World Cup clause with Al Nassr, club insists

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr have denied reports …

Ronaldo ‘has no clause’ in contract to back Saudi World Cup bid
1 year, 11 months ago

Ronaldo ‘has no clause’ in contract to back Saudi World Cup bid

Al Jazeera  

Al Nassr, football star’s new team, denies reports that Ronaldo will serve as an ambassador for Riyadh’s 2030 football World Cup bid. Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is denying reports that Cristiano Ronaldo has a clause in his contract in which the Portuguese forward is to serve as an ambassador for the Gulf country’s 2030 World Cup bid. Media reports …

Ronaldo to earn EUR 400 million in Saudi Arabia — club source
1 year, 11 months ago

Ronaldo to earn EUR 400 million in Saudi Arabia — club source

The Hindu  

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo will earn EUR 200 million to promote Saudi Arabia’s joint 2030 World Cup bid in addition to his club salary, a source close to his club told AFP on Monday. The deal was backed by senior royals who support Al Nassr, including Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — widely known as “MBS” …

Can Ronaldo keep the eyes of the world on him in Saudi?
1 year, 11 months ago

Can Ronaldo keep the eyes of the world on him in Saudi?

Associated Press  

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest coach spoke of his surprise as he looked out at a room filled with reporters on Tuesday. Today, I don’t know why…” Al Nassr head coach Rudi Garcia said at a news conference to present the Saudi Arabian club’s superstar signing. “It’s a new era!” said host and newsreader Weam Al Dakheel, who …

Many Clubs Tried to Sign Me! Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Reason Behind 'Big Decision' to Sign for Al Nassr
1 year, 11 months ago

Many Clubs Tried to Sign Me! Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Reason Behind 'Big Decision' to Sign for Al Nassr

News 18  

Cristiano Ronaldo was presented as the superstar new signing of Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Tuesday, with the team’s president saying the Portugal great deserves to be the highest paid player on the planet. Ronaldo said he turned down “many clubs” around the world to complete one of the most surprising transfers in the sport’s history, which could reportedly …

Cristiano Ronaldo signs for Al Nassr in deal worth 'more than 200 million euros'
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo signs for Al Nassr in deal worth 'more than 200 million euros'

Firstpost  

Ronaldo heads to the Gulf after a year that saw him relegated to the bench for Portugal and cut adrift by Manchester United. Riyadh: Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday signed for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia, the club announced, in a deal believed to be worth more than 200 million euros. “I can’t wait to discover a new football league in …

Cristiano Ronaldo makes big-money move to Saudi Arabian club
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo makes big-money move to Saudi Arabian club

Associated Press  

LONDON — Cristiano Ronaldo completed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Friday in a deal that is a landmark moment for Middle Eastern soccer but will see one of Europe’s biggest stars disappear from the sport’s elite stage. Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of the five-time Ballon d’Or holding up the team’s jersey …

Cristiano Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, pens contract worth over 200 million euros
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, pens contract worth over 200 million euros

India Today  

Ending weeks of speculation about his club future, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr on a two-and-half-year-deal, which will reportedly make him the highest-paid player in the world. Ronaldo's contract with his former club Manchester United was ended mutually after the Portugal star took jibes at the club, its owners and manager Erik ten Hag in …

Cristiano Ronaldo signs for Saudi club Al-Nassr FC on £165m-a-year deal
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo signs for Saudi club Al-Nassr FC on £165m-a-year deal

The Telegraph  

Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on an extraordinary £165 million a year contract in the wake of his tumultuous exit from Manchester United last month. The move effectively brings an end to Ronaldo’s 20 year top level club career after his hopes of joining a side that could offer him Champions League football failed to materialise. …

Cristiano Ronaldo signs with Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Nassr
1 year, 11 months ago

Cristiano Ronaldo signs with Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Nassr

LA Times  

Cristiano Ronaldo completed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Friday in a groundbreaking deal for Middle Eastern soccer. While the signing is a massive boost for Middle Eastern soccer, it will also fuel the debate about Saudi Arabia using so-called “sportswashing” to boost the country’s image internationally. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund owns Premier League team …

Cristiano Ronaldo's team RUBBISH reports that £173m-per-year move to Saudi club Al-Nassr is complete
2 years ago

Cristiano Ronaldo's team RUBBISH reports that £173m-per-year move to Saudi club Al-Nassr is complete

Daily Mail  

Cristiano Ronaldo's team have denied claims that the forward is set to sign a contract with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr on January 1st. Cristiano Ronaldo's team have denied claims he is set for a move to the Saudi Arabian league Al-Nassr are one of the most successful clubs in Saudi, having won the Saudi league nine times Spanish outlet MARCA …

Major League Soccer boss warns stars like Neymar: 'MLS not a US retirement plan'
2 years, 10 months ago

Major League Soccer boss warns stars like Neymar: 'MLS not a US retirement plan'

Firstpost  

Garber said MLS had outgrown the days of needing to bolster its image with big-name players in their later years. New York: While he appreciates interest from Neymar or Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber warned football’s global stars on Tuesday that US clubs aren’t their retirement homes. I don’t think 30 is old when you are an …

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