From Saudi to Sheffield: is football still the beautiful game?

From Saudi to Sheffield: is football still the beautiful game?

From Academy of Ideas by academyofideas

July 1, 2026 · 1h 30m · Episode 347

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of Saudi Arabia's growing influence in football and the recent changes in governance affecting clubs in the UK.

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Sunday 19 October at Church House, Westminster. ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION ‘I have the feeling that this competition is going to be as important, if not more important, than the Champions League’, said Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, after his team had won the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup. This summer’s competition was intended to showcase club football from all continents of the world. But many involved in the game derided the tournament as an unnecessary addition to an already overcrowded football calendar. Saudi Arabia helped to bankroll the Club World Cup, and is fast developing into a powerhouse for club and international football. The country will host the 2034 World Cup and is planning to build 11 new futuristic stadiums. Saudi club sides are competing with top European teams to sign world-class players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane. The Saudis have even greater financial muscle than the English Premier League or La Liga in Spain. On the world stage, it seems, money talks, while concerns about democracy and human rights are muted. In the UK, the fate of football clubs, big and small, is rightly…

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Chelsea, FIFA

Books & works: Football Governance Act

Places: Saudi Arabia, UK, Westminster, English

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