As Saudi Arabia looks toward a post-oil future, the kingdom is expanding more vastly than ever before.A public investment fund led by the crown prince, the country's de facto leader. Mohammed bin Salmanplaces big bets on global sports such as golf and soccer. This increased spending has made Saudi Arabia a country that fans can't ignore, helping to diversify the economy, boost tourism, and improve the quality of life for its citizens, who have just been freed from some of the conservative kingdom's more onerous religious restrictions. This is consistent with the country's efforts to improve its performance. .
The goal is to excite Saudi Arabia's young generation and improve the country's international standing. The government also hopes that the sports offering will help attract 150 million tourists a year to the country by 2030. Ask Saudi officials and they say the splashy investments are a key part of their Vision 2030 plan, which aims to reduce dependence on oil exports. And it will create job opportunities for Saudi nationals, many of whom are underemployed. Critics such as Amnesty International have dismissed the effort as “sportswash” – an attempt to divert attention from the country's human rights record. The crown prince himself has expressed indifference to such criticism, saying his own strategy is contributing to desired outcomes such as economic growth.
