February 26 – Saudi Arabian bank Alinma has secured the naming rights to one of the key stadiums set to host matches at the 2034 FIFA World Cup, marking the first step in Saudi Arabia’s aggressive commercial push ahead of the tournament in nine years’ time.
February 19 – The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has landed another heavyweight commercial partner, with global electronics giant Samsung signing on as a Gold Partner in an initial short-term deal running through the 2024-25 season.
February 14 – The Saudi Pro League’s (SPL) aggressive recruitment of ageing stars in 2023 reshaped global football’s transfer market. A new report from Football Benchmark shows the depth of the league’s tactical rethink with a new focus on recruiting younger players.
February 13 – There will be no alcohol available at the 2034 Saudi World Cup, according to the country’s ambassador to the UK, who confirmed that the rule would be even more strictly imposed than at the tournament in Qatar three years ago.
January 31 – Spanish star player Aitana Bonmati has said that playing in Saudi Arabia would make her “uncomfortable” because of gender inequality.
January 30 – DAZN posted operating losses of $830 million for 2023, raising further question marks over the financial sustainability of the sports streaming giant.
January 28 – The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has unveiled a three-year partnership with Unilever’s Rexona, marking the first-ever official sponsorship of the Kingdom’s women’s national football programme.
January 28 – The widow of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi has urged FIFA to commemorate her late husband at the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
January 28 – In a new low, FIFA has rejected a request by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Africa to monitor the conditions of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, the hosts of the 2034 World Cup.
January 24 – 20-time Serie A champions, Football Club Internazionale Milano, better known as Inter Milan, have just signed their first partnership with Saudi Arabian technology company Zain KSA, who will become an Official Regional Partner.
January 17 – Human Rights Watch has spotlighted “a legacy of widespread migrant labor abuses” in Qatar following the 2022 World Cup and “widespread abuses under the kafala system on PIF-funded projects” in Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 World Cup.
January 14 – After one of the most thrilling Supercopa Finals in the history of the competition, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) plans to extend the contract with Saudi Arabia for another five years so that the Super Cup will be held in this country until 2034.
January 13 – The wives of Mallorca players have said they were harassed after the club’s Spanish Super Cup game in Saudi Arabia.
January 9 – The Spanish Super Cup, being played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, opened with a 2-0 win for Barcelona over Athletic Club with goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal, against a backdrop of protests against the unequal distribution of tournament revenue to clubs.
January 9 – Monika Staab (pictured centre) has stepped down from her role as technical director of women’s football in Saudi Arabia, bringing her role in building the country’s women’s team to an end.