Saudi Arabia is making a lot of headlines in football. They're signing the game’s biggest stars, acquiring big European clubs, and growing their influence in the sport globally. It has raised a lot of discourse among fans and pundits of the game. Saudi Arabia’s inroads into the global game is widely considered controversial for political reasons. In the summer of 2023, an estimated $950 million was spent by the Saudi Pro League on new players with exorbitant agent fees and record wages being offered to Europe’s top players to make the journey from their European clubs to the Saudi Kingdom. This posed a challenge to the existing power structure in football, and in a sport already battling the effects of inflation, Saudi Arabia throwing their hat in the ring is also seen as a serious problem for the financial stability of European football. But amid all the controversy, the Saudis argue that there is method and purpose to their spending and they aren't just throwing money around. So why have the Saudis taken keen interest in football and is it a problem for the wider game?