June 19 – UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin has warned Saudi Arabia that splashing out eye-watering sums of money on ageing superstar players is a mistake in terms of developing the game.
June 14 – It’s the 17th MoU the Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF) have signed. The relationship with the Mauritanian Football Federation (FFRIM) will focus on traditional areas of cooperation, including but not limited to coach education, training for referees and support for the women’s game.
June 12 – Premier League fourth-placed finishers Newcastle United, who will play in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2003, have confirmed a “multi-year” sponsorship deal for their front of shirt position, as well as renewing their sleeve sponsorship.
June 8 – Karim Benzema has completed his move to Al-Ittihad, the Saudi Arabian club have confirmed, the latest superstar to move to the Gulf state for one final financial windfall.
June 8 – With Karim Benzema arriving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday, ahead of his Al-Ittihad unveiling later today at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) has reported a record breaking 2022/23 season and promised a new-long term ‘transformation strategy’.
June 6 – In a landmark move accelerating the Arab Kingdom’s investment in the game, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will take control of Al Nassr – where Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo plays – Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal, the 2021 Asian Champions League winner.
June 2 – Lionel Messi will play his final game for Paris St-Germain against Clermont Foot tomorrow as speculation grows as to where the 35-year-old Argentine superstar will end up next.
May 11 – The Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF) has signed another MoU with an African nation, this time with the Botswana Football Association (BFA) with a view to accelerating “the sport’s development in both countries and explore various areas of collaboration”.
May 5 – Having seemingly fallen out irreconcilably with Paris St Germain, Lionel Messi is reported to have received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season.
May 3 – Lionel Messi has been suspended by Paris St-Germain for two weeks and will be fined after an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
March 31 – The Premier League has tightened its ownership rules by barring anyone found to have committed human rights abuses.
By Andrew Warshaw
March 17 – FIFA has admitted defeat over plans to allow Saudi Arabia to be a major sponsor of this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand even though Gianni Infantino described objections to the idea as “a storm in a teacup”.
March 15 – The secretary general of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Shaij Prabhakaran has defended his organisation’s decision to return the Santosh Trophy to India after playing the last edition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
March 7 – China turned the form book and Group D of the AFC U20 Asian Cup upside down with a 2-0 win over reigning champions Saudi Arabia to keep themselves in with a chance of qualifying for the quarter finals going into the last group game later this week.
March 3 – The English Premier League has been urged to re-examine a legally binding promise made by Newcastle United’s Saudi owners that the Middle East state would not have control of the club.