In football, the transfer market can itself be a show. Names float around, rumors spread, and club allegiances are strained. But some transfers—particularly those of the Saudi Pro League—are more than a football business. They are all part of a bigger, calculated strategy to change public perception. The recent reports that Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen is being pursued by Saudi clubs are a red flag in this increasing trend of sportswashing in preparation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia. This is not about one player. It’s about a campaign to divert attention from oppression, human rights abuses, and authoritarian rule behind the glitzy diversion of football. And it is time for the world to say: enough!
The Christensen Case: More Than a Transfer
Christensen is reportedly now on the radar of Saudi Arabia, as per a recent Mundo Deportivo report. The Danish international, who endured a season of injuries at Barcelona, is being eyed by clubs in the Saudi Pro League. Although no offer has officially been made yet, hints indicate that a lucrative proposal may arrive soon.
Barcelona, struggling financially, would be happy to see Christensen go, as his substantial salary and the fact that his leaving would be pure profit in their accounts. But with Saudi Arabia, there is a bigger picture. For them, the reason for signing is more than bolstering football teams. It’s all part of a trend—bringing big-name European players, usually in the waning or decline phase of their careers, to bring validation and international stature to the Saudi football initiative. This is no accident. This is statecraft through sport.
Saudi Arabia’s Motive to Hide Crimes with Sportswashing
Sportswashing is the term used to describe the use of sport to enhance a controversial reputation. For Saudi Arabia, this involves the use of football to divert world opinion from its appalling human rights record, which includes:
- The 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, popularly assumed to have been instigated by senior Saudi government officials.
- Execution of 172 individuals in 2023, as reported by Amnesty International—most after unfair trials.
- Extreme limitations on free speech, freedom of assembly, and LGBTQ+ rights.
- Guardianship laws continue to greatly limit women’s freedom, even after reforms advocated for in the media.
Being the host of the 2034 World Cup is not simply about international prestige—it’s about reshaping an authoritarian regime as progressive, tolerant, and modern. The signing of players like Christensen is merely part of that image-managing equation.
The Saudi Transfer Machine: Purchasing Legitimacy
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has more than $700 billion in assets, is propelling the kingdom’s football investment. Saudi Pro League, which is backed by the PIF, has made more than $875 million in transfer spending over the last year alone, ahead of Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1. Following is a list of marquee players who were tempted by Saudi riches:
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr
- Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad
- N’Golo Kanté – Al Ittihad
- Sadio Mané – Al Nassr
- Riyad Mahrez – Al Ahli
- Neymar Jr. – Al Hilal
If Christensen is added to the list, it is another installment in the saga: injured or ageing European stars being utilized to cover up systemic repression and divert international attention from torture chambers towards training grounds.
Christensen’s Saudi Move Isn’t Just Football — It’s Political Sportswashing
Barcelona center-back Andreas Christensen is set to join a list of increasing European superstars joining the Saudi Pro League, but this is not another transfer—this is political maneuvering. Saudi Arabia is employing high-profile signings to whitewash its global reputation in the run-up to the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Its coordinated campaign of sportswashing seeks to divert attention away from the kingdom’s human rights violations, censorship, and repression. As supporters, we need to see past the floodlights and challenge the ulterior motives behind these signings.
Why This Should Concern FIFA
FIFA’s award of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia has already attracted worldwide criticism. Human rights monitors such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and FairSquare denounced the absence of transparency and accountability of the bidding process. Furthermore, critics observe that:
- The bidding process for the 2034 World Cup was in a hurried manner, with only a limited window for Saudi Arabia being the sole remaining bidder.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strong connections with Saudi officials and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- There is no publicly announced human rights compliance system for the 2034 tournament, in contrast to what was assured following criticism of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
With signings such as Christensen likely to go to Saudi Arabia, FIFA’s argument that it is concerned about football’s “core values” becomes even more ridiculous.
The Hypocrisy of Silent Transfers
Injured and in rehabilitation from a tough season, Andreas Christensen may view a transfer to Saudi Arabia as financially stable and professionally secure. But for supporters, this is to be a line in the sand. These transfers aren’t occurring in isolation—these are legitimizing an administration that suppresses reporters and imprisons dissidents.
It’s also revealing that while high-profile players remain quiet about Saudi human rights violations, they speak out when it comes to marketing agreements, training centers, and “the new football culture.” Such selective activism is bad for both the players’ and the game’s credibility.
The Beautiful Game Shouldn’t Be a Cover for Brutality
Football brings the world together—but also has the power to be used as a weapon. If Saudi Arabia signs on wounded or declining stars like Christensen, it’s not betting on the future of football—it’s betting on an image-shaping exercise to erase a record of oppression. The 2034 FIFA World Cup, if it takes place in Saudi Arabia, will be remembered less for the goals, the fans, and the glory, but more for being the most overtly egregious act of sportswashing in history. The world has time to act on this. But it begins now—with knowledge, with activism, and with speaking: Andreas Christensen’s next step counts, and so does you!