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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="betting-e2">{"type":"betting-e2","data":{"key":{"mobile":"fb9f812b41240655c161bb3d4ad2cf3f","desktop":"671024543858da3e0dfea5d9450ab1a4"}}}</script><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Leading stars lured to Middle East</li><li>Grand plans being drawn up</li><li>European competition part of that project?</li></ul>

Explained: Why Saudi Arabian teams in the UEFA Champions League remains a possibility after admission from Pro League chief

<p>Football in the Middle East is very much on the rise, with the World Cup finals having been hosted by Qatar in 2022. The <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/fifa-club-world-cup-2023-saudi-arabia-host-the-next-edition/bltd023a43bb07a5840" target="_blank">FIFA Club World Cup is heading to Jeddah</a> in December – where the likes of Manchester City and Al-Ittihad will be on show – and there is still a chance that Saudi sides will <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/saudi-arabia-champions-league-wild-card-uefa/blt3f9f2cbba89a50e5" target="_blank">form part of elite European competition</a> at some stage.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Nohra insists that the Saudi Pro League remains “completely committed” to the AFC Champions League, but he has told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-27/saudi-arabia-signals-interest-in-champions-league-football-entry " target="_blank"><em>Bloomberg</em></a> of the Champions League speculation: “We are trying to be different. So any change or improvement that can be introduced to the league will be welcome.”</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>The Saudi Pro League has – with Cristiano Ronaldo already on their books at Al-Nassr – spent more than $850 million (£673m) on foreign players this summer. The likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane are now in the Middle East, while there is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/al-ittihad-150m-offer-liverpool-mohamed-salah-transfer-window/bltf439c73dbe713d89" target="_blank">talk of Mohamed Salah joining them</a>. Nohra added on the most ambitious of sporting projects: “We are doing whatever it takes to have those players coming to Saudi Arabia. That doesn’t mean it’s an open-ended budget, but we cannot handcuff ourselves if we want to bring some of the best talents here. We’ve got to pay the going rates to bring them here.”</p>

AND WHAT'S MORE

<p>Saudi Arabia had hoped to form part of the bidding process for the 2030 World Cup, but a joint venture with Greece and Egypt has been abandoned. The country does still have a “Vision 2030” plan, though, and attracting sporting superstars to the region will help them to deliver on long-term goals.</p>

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Explained: Why Saudi Arabian teams in the UEFA Champions League remains a possibility after admission from Pro League chief | Goal.com English Qatar

Saudi Pro League teams competing in the UEFA Champions League remains a possibility, admits the division’s chief operating officer Carlo Nohra.

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