Saudi Arabia FA interested in joining UEFA Champions League (Bloomberg)

[Just Hope]

In what way?

What I meant was that during the late 90's and early 2000's South American teams had a higher level in general and SA teams were usually able to win or present a good match against top tier European teams. As time passed, the difference in financial power between Europe and SA became so large that clubs started to find it hard to retain most of their talent, for the simple reason they wanted to earn more in Europe.

While the current situation also involves a estate with a horrible HR record that we should all reject and denounce, at the end of the day it is all about that sweet dosh, and as a south american it is kind of funny to see the same thing happen but with Europe playing the role of South America.

 

[utdalltheway]

Thanks. I figured that's what you meant.
Yeah, it must seem like schadenfreude alright.

 

[Samid]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

• Saudi Arabia interested in joining Europe's top football club tournament, the Champions League
• Saudi Pro League (SPL) investing hundreds of millions in attracting world-class players
• SPL committed to AFC Champions League (Asia's premier club competition)
• Discussions about SPL teams joining Europe's Champions League would involve UEFA and Saudi Arabian Football Federation
• UEFA includes non-European countries like Kazakhstan whose clubs can participate in Champions League
• UEFA's Chief of Football denies reports of a Saudi club joining Champions League in 2025
• Saudi teams spent around $650 million to recruit players including Benzema, Neymar, and Henderson
• Saudi's ambition to attract top talents to diversify from oil investment
• SPL focusing on attracting sponsors, international media deals, games broadcast in 140 countries
• Broadcast revenue increased 650% since Ronaldo's move to SPL
• SPL's growth is a long-term process, aiming to increase enterprise value of league and clubs.

 

[Vidyoyo]

I was reading earlier about FIFA's extended club world cup plan which begins in 2025 and will include a Saudi team. I wonder if Saudi's see this as a rival idea, or if it'll simply help their cause as their participation in major competitions grows.

What remains interesting either way is that their plan is obviously to profit off the appeal of better clubs. The FT said something to that affect this weekend:

The arrival of deep-pocketed teams from outside Uefa’s jurisdiction should inject competitiveness, curiosity and novelty into Fifa’s project. A hypothetical group stage that pits Al-Hilal against Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter Miami would help sway broadcasters unsure whether this new event will capture the imagination. Expect Saudi sponsors — and a bid to host the World Cup itself — to follow.

 

[altodevil]

feck off

 

[Lay]

Should have backed the ESL. Uefa are the real bad guys

 

[OldSchoolManc]

They have also just appointed Mancini as national manager.
Probably part of his extra City payments.
Mental that they even think the national team can compete and that they can just buy their way into a different continental competition

 

[JagUTD]

Jokes on them, theres already SPL involvement in the Champions League.

Maybe next time slickers!

 

[Vidyoyo]

They have also just appointed Mancini as national manager.
Probably part of his extra City payments.
Mental that they even think the national team can compete and that they can just buy their way into a different continental competition

I see your thinking but that's highly doubtful given City's owners are a rival of Saudi Arabia.

 

[OldSchoolManc]

I see your thinking but that's highly doubtful given City's owners are a rival of Saudi Arabia.

My bad but they’re all in it together

 

[MexicanCowboy]

Football Is so corrupt that It wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Remind me again why people were so against the Super League?

Sky and UEFA are not to be trusted.

 

[The Urban Goose]

Football Is so corrupt that It wouldn't surprise me.

Of course it'll happen, the UEFA pigs will want to suckle at the Saudi teet too.

 

[NewDawnFades]

Of course it'll happen, the UEFA pigs will want to suckle at the Saudi teet too.

Teetas

 

[Alex99]

Not sure why any current UEFA member would be in favour of this. It benefits literally none of them.

• Currently, the world's best players flock to the best teams in Europe. Far less incentive for them to do that if they can get a silly contract and Champions League football in Saudi Arabia.
• There are a whole host of clubs already in a position where qualification is already a massive achievement, and this would just be an extra (massive) obstacle for them.

Piss off the "elite" clubs and they'll just look at starting the super league up again, except this time they might actually have some support from their fans and not care too much about UEFA or FA level punishments (which I suspect might be what the Saudis are actually after).

 

[FrankFoot]

Not sure why any current UEFA member would be in favour of this. It benefits literally none of them.

• Currently, the world's best players flock to the best teams in Europe. Far less incentive for them to do that if they can get a silly contract and Champions League football in Saudi Arabia.
• There are a whole host of clubs already in a position where qualification is already a massive achievement, and this would just be an extra (massive) obstacle for them.

Piss off the "elite" clubs and they'll just look at starting the super league up again, except this time they might actually have some support from their fans and not care too much about UEFA or FA level punishments (which I suspect might be what the Saudis are actually after).

UEFA is so corrupt, I wouldn't even be surprised if they give Saudi clubs more UCL slots than Netherlands or Portugal who are located in Europe.

 

[Alex99]

UEFA is so corrupt, I wouldn't even be surprised if they give Saudi clubs more UCL slots than Netherlands or Portugal who are located in Europe.

UEFA just shat the bed at a super league of its own clubs forming, which (apparently) wasn't even going to pull said clubs from UEFA competition.

Nothing has happened yet, and UEFA are going to have to tread very carefully. This isn't going to be the case of a handful of pockets being lined and a decision being made, at least not without massive repercussions.

 

[morisjee]

That would be an instant knockout for LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1. The only thing that would keep the world-class players from these leagues from moving to the SPL would be the UCL. You could then also play them in the SPL. Only the EPL would be able to last a while before it too runs out of breath.

I would completely rule out Saudis in UCL. The only thing that would make sense would be a Super League under the umbrella of the Saudis with hefty bonuses that the clubs will not be able to refuse. As in golf and boxing among others.

Bankrupt clubs like Juve, ACM, Inter, Real, Barca and Atetico would agree immediately. It would also be in their interest. Because otherwise there would always be a risk that the Saudis would find a way into UEFA and then they would have the problem mentioned above again.

I see absolutely no chances for a purely European Super League. That would immediately block City, Newcastle and PSG. And also United as soon as the Qataris are in charge here. Why should they also reject the fat premiums that the Saudis are paying? The same actually applies to clubs like Inter. The Chinese also want maximum profit.

 

[Pascal Quiff]

Australia and Israel opened the door to this with bloody Eurovision!

 

[the_cliff]

Well good luck trying to implement ffp.

 

[Irrational.]

The biggest scam UEFA pulled was managing to get the big clubs to pull out of the Super League. What a shitty, corrupt organisation.

 

[Samid]

Australia and Israel opened the door to this with bloody Eurovision!

But Israel were banished from the Asiavision.

 

[led_scholes]

"Saudi's ambition to attract top talents to diversify from oil investment"

Yes spending billions to attract semi retired players is a good investment to diversify your national economy..

 

[Zen86]

They have also just appointed Mancini as national manager.
Probably part of his extra City payments.
Mental that they even think the national team can compete and that they can just buy their way into a different continental competition

Why not? That’s what football has been reduced to, doped clubs and oil states buying their way to the top.

 

[Cloud7]

I can’t see any of the big clubs being in favor of this (hard to see any benefit to any of them) and ultimately UEFA do need these clubs. There is no plausible reason why non european clubs should be in the cl.

As much as UEFA would like to find some kind of loophole to permit them, I think they would be wary of super league 2.0.

If we are going down the route of just adding random teams to the CL for reasons then I say bring in Santos or River plate rather than Al Nassr

 

[Bosnian_fan]

Why do you people think European Superleague would have been different? Of course if that was made, Saudis would have been more than welcome to join. Perez, Agnelli and American investment bankers who were backing Superleague were ready to disregard tradition and everything because of money. So what makes you think they wouldn't welcome Saudi clubs with open arms?

There are no good guys in the footballing world, I think everyone should be aware by now.

 

[morisjee]

Why not? That’s what football has been reduced to, doped clubs and oil states buying their way to the top.

Many are not even aware of what Saudi Arabia actually did with Mancini. It was an unprecedented show of power. Just got the reigning European champion coach to betray a country as crazy about football as Italy. There were many NT coaches who were available. Whether there is a Mancini, Tite, Conte, Galtier or Löw on the sidelines: what difference does that make? Although someone like Löw would not even take for free. They want people with decency and charisma, not someone who smells their balls all the time.

 

[rcoobc]

I mean, it's not exactly impossible for them to join the Champions League.

If I may, for a second, use an old meme structure;

Step 1: Apply to join UEFA
Step 2: Join UEFA
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Profit

The problems with this is many fold. There are many other nations in AFC and elsewhere that might argue they have more of a claim to join UEFA than Saudi Arabia. Why not Australia? Why not the USA?

What about Israel? Israel joined UEFA because the many AFC countries wouldn't play them. And don't get me wrong, I'm not defending Israel, but that's another can of worms.

 

[fck]

That would be an instant knockout for LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1. The only thing that would keep the world-class players from these leagues from moving to the SPL would be the UCL. You could then also play them in the SPL. Only the EPL would be able to last a while before it too runs out of breath.

I would completely rule out Saudis in UCL. The only thing that would make sense would be a Super League under the umbrella of the Saudis with hefty bonuses that the clubs will not be able to refuse. As in golf and boxing among others.

Bankrupt clubs like Juve, ACM, Inter, Real, Barca and Atetico would agree immediately. It would also be in their interest. Because otherwise there would always be a risk that the Saudis would find a way into UEFA and then they would have the problem mentioned above again.

I see absolutely no chances for a purely European Super League. That would immediately block City, Newcastle and PSG. And also United as soon as the Qataris are in charge here. Why should they also reject the fat premiums that the Saudis are paying? The same actually applies to clubs like Inter. The Chinese also want maximum profit.

I think you are little bit overdramatic here because no league will be "knocked out" (whatever that means). Also you can't really compare what's happening in golf and boxing to football because those sports are niche compared to football. So it's much easier to make an impact in those sports.

 

[phenry]

Mental that they even think the national team can compete and that they can just buy their way into a different continental comțpetition

Well its not like they are starting from a base of zero. Football is a significant part of Saudi Arabian culture. It has a long standing passion for it and it is by far the most popular sport in the country. They've won the Asian Cup 3 times (second most behind Japan) and qualified for the world cup 6 times. They are also known for a unique football culture, passionate fans, and enthusiastic celebrations.

I'm not denying that they are trying to buy their way to success but there is real enthusiasm for the sport there, some history, and something to work with for Mancini. Especially with the injection of big talent into their domestic league.

Just playing the devils advocate here

 

[TheGame]

They can well and truly feck off. However I wouldn’t be surprised UEFA gets bribed and they get in. It will just be a fecking joke.

 

[Andy_Cole]

I’m all for it. If Israel is in it then it’s anyone’s game. Muslim Saudis will boil piss so I’ll get my popcorn out.

I also think the CL should be a world tournament. Not sure how it would work, maybe similar to the NBA. All world CLs are played at the same time but by region. Then the finals are the world teams against each other (like the world club cup). Only difference is it’s directly after the regional finals. So part of the same competition rather than completely separate.

 

[Mickeza]

Not sure why any current UEFA member would be in favour of this. It benefits literally none of them.

• Currently, the world's best players flock to the best teams in Europe. Far less incentive for them to do that if they can get a silly contract and Champions League football in Saudi Arabia.
• There are a whole host of clubs already in a position where qualification is already a massive achievement, and this would just be an extra (massive) obstacle for them.

Piss off the "elite" clubs and they'll just look at starting the super league up again, except this time they might actually have some support from their fans and not care too much about UEFA or FA level punishments (which I suspect might be what the Saudis are actually after).

If they join the CL they’ll have to abide by FFP. Currently they don’t. What’s more of a threat - Saudi clubs in the tent under the rules everyone else plays by or Saudi clubs outside the tent spending tens of billions to create a rival?

 

[Alex99]

If they join the CL they’ll have to abide by FFP. Currently they don’t. What’s more of a threat - Saudi clubs in the tent under the rules everyone else plays by or Saudi clubs outside the tent spending tens of billions to create a rival?

Because FFP has done such a good job keeping the likes of City and PSG in check?

Outside, where they're still a glorified retirement home, obviously.

 

[fck]

I also think the CL should be a world tournament. Not sure how it would work, maybe similar to the NBA. All world CLs are played at the same time but by region. Then the finals are the world teams against each other (like the world club cup). Only difference is it’s directly after the regional finals. So part of the same competition rather than completely separate.

The difference in quality is too big right now so that would be an absolutely terrible idea. It's like the early 2000 NBA L(East) but on Steroids.

 

[the_cliff]

If they join the CL they’ll have to abide by FFP. Currently they don’t. What’s more of a threat - Saudi clubs in the tent under the rules everyone else plays by or Saudi clubs outside the tent spending tens of billions to create a rival?

Have you seen the insane wages they are giving to their players? Only way Saudi clubs join the ucl is if UEFA scrap ffp completely.

 

[fck]

Because FFP has done such a good job keeping the likes of City and PSG in check?

Outside, where they're still a glorified retirement home, obviously.

exactly otherwise they wouldn't try to join the CL.

 

[Mickeza]

Because FFP has done such a good job keeping the likes of City and PSG in check?

Outside, where they're still a glorified retirement home, obviously.

City and PSG don’t threaten the dominance of European football do they? Or have I missed that? They also aren’t giving players hundreds of millions a year. They just signed a top Spanish youth international linked with every top team in Europe ahead of the Italian champions so I’m not convinced your “glorified retirement home” will remain accurate.

 

[fck]

City and PSG don’t threaten the dominance of European football do they? Or have I missed that? They also aren’t giving players hundreds of millions a year. They just signed a top Spanish youth international linked with every top team in Europe ahead of the Italian champions so I’m not convinced your “glorified retirement home” will remain accurate.

It will for sure grow in relevance but to be really relevant they will have to invest a looot more.

 

[Rory 7]

The bit that kills me is 'Benzema, Neymar and Henderson'