Why Is Saudi Arabia Spending Billions on Western Sports?

Kylian Mbappé of France is currently the world’s best soccer player—and now Saudi Arabia is knocking on his door. (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

LIV Golf. Formula 1. And now a $332 million bid for Kylian Mbappé. What we call ‘sportswashing,’ the Saudis call savvy.

By Josh Glancy

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I’ll never forget the moment Saudi Arabia arrived in global soccer. It happened at the World Cup last November, when the team faced Argentina—the overwhelming favorite to win.

At halftime they were losing 1–0 and nobody was paying attention. I was finishing my halftime snack in the Pearl Lounge at Doha’s Lusail Stadium: a bowl of caviar in one hand and …

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