Hussein Malla/AP
The Saudi Pro League — Saudi Arabia’s top soccer league — will soon air on FOX.
World Soccer Talk on Wednesday reported that FOX Sports has signed a deal for the league’s U.S. media rights. The deal is for the upcoming season, which begins Friday and runs through May 2024. There be will both English and Spanish broadcasts.
This latest deal with the Saudi Pro League is another step in its ongoing effort to gain worldwide popularity. DAZN secured the media rights for the UK, Germany, and Austria; and Canal+ will provide the broadcasts in France and Africa.
Prior to the recent media deals, the Saudi Pro League has made a splash in the soccer with a number of signings and offers to high-profile players. French star Karim Benzema and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo play for Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr, respectively.
The league saved its largest contracts for Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Before Messi decided to join Inter Miami of the MLS, the soccer club Al-Hilal offered the Argentinian a multi-year worth more than $1 billion. Then, when it became clear that Mbappe had no intentions of staying with Paris Saint-Germain, Al-Hilal offered him a one-year deal worth $776 million.
Such investments haven’t come without controversy, however. Many have accused Saudi Arabia of investing heavily in sports as a way to take attention away from its numerous human rights controversy — a concept known as “sportswashing.” The country has hosted a plethora of combat sports events and has even inked a deal with the PGA Tour to create a new golf entity.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]