In this section, I will be giving sources, notes, and other resources as to how Saudi Arabia is technically not in the wrong in this situation.
"Saudi Arabia is looking to expand its economy through other industries in order to help guarantee its financial future. The country is reliant on selling money through oil - that is not going to last forever, and they need to diversify their economy. They do this via the PIF - the country's sovereign wealth investment fund" (Solhekol). This article provides reasoning behind Saudi Arabia's efforts. The article states Saudi Arabia's main source of revenue, and that source is obviously not infinite. To ensure financial stability in the future, Saudi Arabia needs to branch into other fields to make money and choosing the sporting world is one of the best ways that they see to do that. This helps make a case that Saudi Arabia is not sportswashing but is just trying to keep the nation profitable in the distant future.
"Emenalo also says the motivation of players, who are making the move to Saudi Arabia is greater than just “economic incentive” – creating a “retirement league” – and that there is a wider desire to raise the SPL’s technical level and profile. Players like Benzema, Mahrez and Henderson have “made this decision because part of the competitive beast as a former footballer myself […] is the willingness to go and blaze a trail,” according to Emenalo" (Oware). This is a quote from the new sporting director of the Saudi Pro League, Michael Emenalo. He continues to state that players aren't coming to Saudi Arabia just for money, but because its a logically good decision. It's a chance for players who never got to shine to step foot in a new country and build the foundation for a league that appreciates them. Emenalo understands and acknowledges that the league will be a long process to raise to the standards they desire, but that it is something that he and the rest of the kingdom are willing to support and back until it's competition.
"Saudi Arabia has a very young population: the country’s most recent census revealed 32.2 million people live in the country, nearly 42% of whom are foreign nationals – and 51% of the Saudi population are under the age of 30. Of this populace, Saudi authorities say that over 80% play, attend or follow soccer, the national sport" (Woodyatt). This is another reason to defend Saudi Arabia against the sportswashing accusations. Saudi Arabia has a very young population, with half being under the age of 30. It's common knowledge that the youth love sports. They grow up with it and get to play it during different levels of school. Instead of potentially trying to cover up their misdeeds through the sport, they may just be attempting to appease the youth.
In this TikTok turned YouTube Short, online personality Fiago states that the Premier League, England's top soccer league", hates Saudi Arabia and their attempts to take over the sport. The English league views the attempts to take over soccer through economic power as being wrong and not being fair to the rest of the world. Fiago's next point is that England and the Premier League had done almost the same thing as Saudi Arabia doing now about a decade ago. It raises the point of whether or not the soccer fandom is being selfish and or hypocritical of Saudi Arabia.
"However, with the world shifting away from its consumption of carbon fuels, the need for Saudi Arabia to wean itself off petrol, oil and gas to diversify its economy is pressing. Investing in sport is one way of doing this, so the country has embarked on a massive programme of spending that incorporates everything from building a multi-billion dollar sport mega-city to promoting its next generation of football stars and now owning an English Premier League club" (Chadwick). The CITY A.M. is a London based newspaper. England, who most likely are the largest opposers to Saudi Arabia in this situation, provide the point of how Saudi Arabia's largest economic resource is running out and how they want to find a way to stay economically solid. Considering this is coming from a newspaper from England, the idea has to be fairly credible. This is just another reason as to how Saudi Arabia isn't in fact sportswashing.