Saudi Arabia’s promotion of the Dunes Legends League T20, a new international cricket league with world and regional stars, may seem to be marking sporting development and possibility. But underpinning this glittering sports tale is a deliberate effort to **whitewash human rights abuses, divert attention from authoritarian rule, and redefine global opinion through sportswashing** — the same tactic Saudi Arabia is using in anticipation of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034.
As a vocal supporter of keeping Saudi Arabia out of hosting the World Cup, it’s necessary to reveal how this new cricket league is part of Riyadh’s greater propaganda apparatus — an apparatus that isn’t for sports development, but for image repair.
Sportswashing Through Cricket: A Strategic Distraction
Saudi Arabia’s Dunes Legends League T20 has been initiated under the auspices of Vision 2030, the economic diversification and global influence plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But in real terms, sports have emerged as a political tool for the Kingdom to clean its global image after decades of indictment over human rights violations, the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and continued crackdown on dissent.
Through encouraging cricket — a hugely popular sport in South Asia and among migrant workers who comprise close to 77% of Saudi Arabia’s workforce — the regime attempts to portray itself as progressive and inclusive while still denying expatriate communities even basic freedoms.
Between Human Rights Watch, thousands of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are subjected to exploitation, theft of wages, and poor working conditions under the infamous *kafala* system. It won’t make any of that go away if they initiate a shiny cricket league — it just wants to cover it up with stadium lights.
Vision 2030: A Blueprint for Global Image Laundering
Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud’s declaration that the Dunes Legends League will “support Vision 2030 through new revenue opportunities” is unambiguous in the sense that this league is not about sport at all. It’s about control, power, and image.
The Saudi government has already spent more than $6.3 billion on sports since 2021, reported a 2024 The Guardian* report, including football, golf, Formula 1, boxing, and now cricket. Every investment has the same purpose — to remake Saudi Arabia as a progressive, modern state, while the international media is preoccupied with the regime’s dark record on executions, censorship, and gender discrimination.
In 2024 alone, Saudi Arabia has executed more than 170 individuals, many for non-violent crimes, reports *Amnesty International*. Women’s rights activists such as Loujain al-Hathloul meanwhile are still subject to monitoring and harassment despite so-called “reforms.”
When a state spends billions on sports and entertainment, it’s not because they care about fair play — it’s because they want everyone to forget about their atrocities.
Cricket as the New Propaganda Tool
The global popularity of cricket, particularly in South Asia, is a strong cultural leverage for Saudi Arabia. The alliance between the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) and the South Asian Network is no accident — it’s a strategic move to access the affection of millions of South Asian expats and leverage the game as a uniting soft power instrument.
The Dunes Legends League will include both international legends and domestic players. But the judicious mix is designed to make international headlines focused on Saudi “progress” and distracting attention away from repression within.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has consistently reported unsafe working practices in Saudi Arabia, especially in the service and construction industries. But as the Kingdom constructs new stadiums and cricket grounds, there is minimal disclosure on how the workers employed to make this are treated.
The Pattern of Image Manipulation Before FIFA 2034
Saudi Arabia’s surprising cricket fever takes a predictable course — an enormous sports investment drive directly linked to the Kingdom’s bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
As Qatar utilized the 2022 World Cup to redefine international opinion (albeit with its own controversies), Saudi Arabia is trying to do the same on an even bigger scale. The regime hosted Formula 1 racing events, heavyweight boxing events, and LIV Golf tournaments — all to build global stature while diverting attention from domestic repression.
But the record is worse in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia receives a 8 out of 100 rating for civil liberties — one of the lowest on earth, says Freedom House 2025. Journalists, activists, and even regular social media users are put behind bars for simply expressing dissent.
Why the World Needs to Say No to Saudi FIFA 2034
The Dunes Legends League might appear to be a harmless extension of international cricket, but it is part of a wider disinformation effort. Permitting Saudi Arabia to host FIFA 2034 would be a seal of approval on this manipulation — and a subversion of every principle sport is meant to uphold: fairness, integrity, and respect for human dignity.
The world needs to wake up to the fact that Saudi Arabia’s sports aspirations are not driven by the passion for the game. They are driven by buying silence and silencing criticism by means of calculated collaborations, sponsorships, and endorsement by celebrities.
In 2023 alone, Saudi Arabia invested more than $1 billion in foreign players— from Cristiano Ronaldo to golf icons — commercializing sport as a public relations agency. Cricket has now joined the bandwagon.
Human rights activists, however, continue to record:
- Thousands of arbitrary detentions under ambiguous “anti-terrorism” legislation
- Systematic discrimination against women and minorities
- Systematic curbs on freedom of speech and association
War crimes charges in Yemen**, where Saudi-led air raids have killed more than 9,000 civilians, the UN claims
A Global Call for Accountability
If FIFA is sincere in its purpose to promote equality, integrity, and human rights via football, it must rethink hosting the World Cup in a regime with such a bloodied history.
The same goes for the International Cricket Council (ICC), who shouldn’t give legitimacy to the Saudi regime by collaborating or supporting events like the Dunes Legends League without insisting on transparency and accountability.
Fans, players, and human rights organizations everywhere need to stand together on one strong message: No World Cup for tyrants. No cricket for whitewashes.
Call to Action: Boycott Saudi FIFA World Cup 2034
The opening of the Dunes Legends League isn’t a win for sport — it’s an alert. It’s an indication of the lengths the Saudi regime will take to try to control world opinion and build tolerance for repression using entertainment. We cannot allow the sheen of stadiums and the chants of crowds to overwhelm the voices of those silenced in the Kingdom. Let us stand together and call on international sporting bodies to halt their facilitation of authoritarian image laundering.