Saudi Arabia eyes becoming NFL’s next overseas destination
The country’s royal family has made a big push into sports in recent years
[LONDON] The National Football League’s (NFL) international ambitions have led it to Europe and South America. The Middle East could be next.
Turki Alalshikh, who oversees Saudi Arabia’s sports and entertainment interests, said that he wants to bring the NFL to the country. He pointed to how the league had recently been hosting regular season games in more countries.
“Britain got it; Brazil got it,” Alalshikh said on Thursday (Oct 16) during the Joy Forum conference in Riyadh. “Hopefully, Saudi Arabia will be next.”
The country’s royal family has made a big push into sports in recent years. In a sign of how far Saudi Arabia has come, Alalshikh referenced that it will be hosting WrestleMania in 2027, marking the event’s first appearance outside North America.
Critics of Saudi Arabia have said that its investments in sports are being used to deflect scrutiny from its record on human rights.
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The league’s playbook has been to build a fanbase in foreign markets such as Brazil with advertising and flag football. In March, Fanatics, an NFL licensing partner, will host a flag tournament in Saudi Arabia that is scheduled to include retired star Tom Brady and current players such as Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
The NFL also has a global markets programme, which allows clubs to focus on building international fanbases. Teams now have rights in about 20 countries, spanning from Nigeria to Ireland and South Korea. Saudi Arabia is not part of this effort, according to the league’s website. BLOOMBERG
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