A actors such as Arabic Emirates, Qatar or Saudi Arabia have long ceased to be a novelty in world football. The Middle East controls the sport of power and does so in multiple ways. Either with direct properties, such as Manchester City and PSG, or with direct investments such as the PIF (Public Investment Fund) Saudí, the Arab Public Fund that is already present in all tournaments. In which these days in the US, another of the football controllers are present in all the advertising fences with the three -letter mentioned acronym.
From Pif a Al Hilal, the Saudi footprint on the Club World Cup
Without the PIF, this Club World Cup would not have existed. Through its subsidiary Surj Sports Investments, it made an investment of around 1,000 million dollars in February 2025 in Dazn. This allowed him to obtain a 5% participation in the operator, according to Financial Times data. Only a month later, the FIFA announced the awards that the 32 participants would receive. The quantity, nothing casual, of 1,000 million, after precisely signing an agreement with the television company to broadcast the matches of a pioneering tournament.
Logically, the 'free' concept is a formal denomination, since there is always a payer and a consumer. More if possible in contracts of this dimension. To complete the sequence of the events, on June 5, the FIFA announced an agreement with the PIF as a sponsor of the Club World Cup. “Thanks to its alliances, PIF is leaving a legacy of transformation in sport and is achieving positive and durable results at all levels, from players and fans to host communities”said in the signing of the Mohammed Alsayyad agreement, head of corporate brand of sovereign fund.
There is no relevance competition in which Saudi Arabia is not present, which will host the 2034 World Cup after the FIFA gave it the best note that has ever been awarded to a candidacy. Through Al Hilal, the most winning team in the country, wanted to show that the commitment to attract stars has also been accompanied by sports projects such as the one led by Catalan Esteve Road from the General Directorate. To do this, instead of breaking the market in the extraordinary window of the Club World Cup, the Saudi club chose to sign a coach, Simone Inzaghi.
The new ones already believe in Pep, the 'old' renew their faith
Al Hilal's payroll could compete perfectly in Europe, with bonus, ruben Neves, Malcom, Mitrovic, Marcos Leonardo, Milikonvic-Savic, Cancelo, Lodi or Koulibaly. But in front of Manchester City that, after a season that has buried the Champions winner generation, the land has been taken off the coffin for the last investment effort. There are no longer the Kyle Walker, Bruyne and Grealish stayed out of the call for the Club World Cup.
Working under the command of Guardiola is demanding and generates wear that not many endure. Pep, which renewed until 2027 in November last year, in full crisis of results, has lived the departure of its Praetorian guard. Juanma Lillo and Carlos Vicels have given way to Pep Lijnders, James French and Kolo Toura, who have brought a fresh air necessary for a team that had entered collapse. After months of mourning, Santpedor coach has finally recovered his lighthouse.
A rodri who wants to manage against his will and that of the player. An essential toll so that the new City that is building does not collapse. Cheki, Reijnders or Aït -Nouri have completed a renewal that began with Marmoush, Khusans, Vítor Reis O Nico González. Although there is still an improper weak link for a team called to win everything: the goal, with Ederson by describing their output of the City, at the same level as the ball outing that made against Juventus and cost him a goal against his team.
However, Guardiola seems to have renewed his aura, causing veterans such as Gündogan or Bernardo Silva to follow the same process. Because convincing the new ones is easy, but maintaining the faith of those who have the stomach full of titles and the head of instructions is more difficult. “Playing for a club like Manchester City always implies expectations to perform in each game and win trophies”said Foden in the course of a tournament that can return faith to a team that, the first thing he needs is to believe again.
