Revealed ambitions of Newcastle United's owners, backed by Saudi Arabia, spark discussions among supporters concerning the implications of their expanded plans for the Tyneside project.
In the world of global sports, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to make its mark, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) playing a significant role. One of PIF's most high-profile acquisitions is Newcastle United, which took place in October 2021 [1]. However, recent developments suggest that the club may be taking a backseat to other sporting ventures within the Kingdom.
As of mid-2025, Newcastle United finds itself in a state of executive instability. The club is currently without a chief executive and a sporting director, positions that are crucial for the club's operation off the field [3]. The outgoing CEO, Darren Eales, announced his intention to step down for health reasons about 10 months ago.
The club's transfer market performance this summer has been far from successful. Newcastle has missed several transfer targets, such as Yoane Wissa, who is reportedly set to join another PIF-owned club, Al-Nassr [2][4]. This internal competition between clubs owned by the same Saudi fund has added to what is described as a "disastrous" transfer window for Newcastle.
Meanwhile, the club's star striker, Allan Saint-Maximin, has been training alone due to reported unhappiness with his earnings at St. James' Park [2]. Had the club's hierarchy been proactive in addressing this issue, the team's head coach, Eddie Howe, may not have had to take this step.
On a positive note, plans for a new, state-of-the-art stadium near the current St. James' Park site are still in place [3]. However, progress and focus on this project seem overshadowed by other Saudi global sports ventures.
Saudi Arabia's attempt to be recognized on the global sporting scene has accelerated since their purchase of Newcastle United almost four years ago. The Gulf state has signed long-running commercial agreements with Formula One and Formula E, successfully bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and integrated the PIF-backed LIV Golf tour into the sporting calendar [1].
One of the clubs PIF purchased stakes in, Al-Hilal, defeated Manchester City at the Club World Cup this summer [1]. Additionally, Al-Hilal is reportedly set to sign Darwin Nunez from Liverpool, which could potentially finance an improved bid for Reds target Alexander Isak [2].
In conclusion, Saudi Arabia's involvement in worldwide sports is expansive and growing, but for Newcastle United specifically, this has meant executive instability, challenges in player acquisitions, and some uncertainty about the stadium project, as other investments and priorities within the Kingdom take precedence [2][3][4].
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