Following the news that the Saudi Arabia-backed Public Investment Fund (PIF) is looking to invest in Qatari-owned BeIN Sports;

Conrad Wiacek, Head of Sport Analysis at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“Having lifted the ban on BeIN Sports, the news that the PIF is looking to partner with the Qatari broadcaster is not only a shock, but also represents a significant statement of intent from the Kingdom, given the growth in its sporting footprint in recent years. From the takeover of Newcastle United to hosting major events such as boxing and F1 races, this acquisition suggests that rumoured bids for the World Cup and Olympics in 2030 and 2036 may not be complete pipedreams.

“Furthermore, it represents a serious geopolitical shift and a thawing of relations between the two countries. Having attempted to undermine BeIN Sports through the pirate BeoutQ platform, which the government strenuously denied, as well as banning BeIN Sports from broadcasting in Saudi Arabia, this reconciliation ahead of the upcoming World Cup would immediately realign the sports rights market and mark BeIN Sports as a major global player for centralized sports rights such as the Olympic Games when those are renewed in Europe in 2024.”