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Analysts say being on the brink of the World Cup is an undeniable victory for the Saudi oil powerhouse, which is racing to overhaul its economy and shed its dubious image.
Not long ago, the desert monarchy refrained from turning to Western leaders after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents.
Today, while human rights controversies have not gone away, the kingdom is gaining fame for its extravagant forays into sport, subsidized by its probably inexhaustible oil wealth.
Becoming the sole contender for the 2034 World Cup, just 27 days after he announced his crusade, caps off an astonishing year in which the little-known Saudi Pro League has recruited some of football’s biggest stars, adding Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.
Saudi Arabia has also made its way to the most sensible in professional golf after pushing the venerable American PGA and European tours to merge with its new group, LIV Golf.
These and other successes are mere vanity projects: they are calculated to attract attention, tourists and investment in a deeply conservative country that only opened its doors to non-Muslim visitors in 2019.
It is surprising, however, that less than a year after Qatar became the first Muslim country to host the World Cup, its Gulf neighbor Saudi Arabia under the leadership of its 38-year-old de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. or “MBS”, is poised to emulate its rival.
– Gigaprojects –
“Hosting the World Cup in 2034 will mark the culmination of Saudi Arabia’s transformation timeline in the MBS era, where the country goes from being a foreign pariah to a legitimate member of the global community,” Simon Chadwick, a professor of gaming and geopolitical economy at Skema in Paris’ business school, told AFP.
“There will be in terms of image, reputation, strength and national brand, as well as part of the economic aspects that MBS needs for his country to get from sport. “
By the time the World Cup begins, several massive infrastructure projects will be underway, in addition to the $500 billion megacity NEOM, which will feature parallel skyscrapers stretching 170 kilometers (105 miles) across mountains and deserts.
NEOM is the flagship of Prince Mohammed’s Vision 2030, an ambitious task to diversify the economy of the world’s largest oil exporter before other energy resources begin to replace crude.
Other projects include the Red Sea, a high-end tourist destination, Qiddiya, an entertainment city consisting of theme parks, sports, and other charms, and Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed cultural tourist charm.
Meanwhile, the capital, Riyadh, is building a major new foreign airport, to rival Dubai as a regional aviation hub, and has unveiled a new deep-pocketed airline, Riyadh Air.
The World Cup is “an opportunity to showcase the set of ‘gigaprojects’ related to Vision 2030 that will then be operational and are designed to position Saudi Arabia as a destination for companies, investors and tourists,” said Kristian Ulrichsen, Middle East. Researcher at the Baker Institute think tank.
– ‘Scrutiny’ –
With a population of 50% and expected to reach 50 million by 2030 and 150 million tourists a year, “the ambitions are big and it will take a steady stream of mega-events to meet them,” Ulrichsen added.
“Engaging both in sports, as the Saudis have done recently with football and golf, but also in esports and video games, is a way to succeed in a global mass to tell the story of a Saudi Arabia in the process of conversion. “
However, Saudi Arabia, with few world-class venues and asymmetrical shipping infrastructure, now faces the challenge of being in a position to be the first single host of a 48-team World Cup on time.
He will also face accusations of “sportswashing” and increased attention to his human rights record, including anti-homosexuality laws, gender inequality and one of the world’s highest executions.
“Hosting mega-events comes with scrutiny, and Saudi Arabia will be no different,” Chadwick said.
“At the moment, the country is not in a position to host the tournament; For example, their maritime connections are not smart enough and their sites are largely inadequate,” he added.
“The organization of the World Cup starts the clock: Saudi Arabia will have to be fit until the end of 2033. “
HT/TH/BSP