Saudi Arabia turned down a proposal for Lionel Messi to play temporarily in the Saudi Pro League, signalling a shift in the kingdom’s sports investment strategy toward developing its domestic league rather than hosting short-term global stars.
According to Abdullah Hammad, CEO of Mahd Sports Academy, Messi’s camp approached him during the last Club World Cup with an offer for the Argentine star to spend several months in Saudi Arabia. The idea was for Messi to maintain fitness during Major League Soccer’s lengthy off-season ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Hammad said he relayed the proposal to the country’s sports minister, who declined.
“The minister made it clear that the Saudi league would not serve as a preparation platform for other tournaments,” Hammad revealed in a podcast interview with Saudi media platform Thmanyah.
Messi, who joined Inter Miami in 2023 after a spell at Paris Saint-Germain, had previously been linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, especially after Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema and other high-profile players signed for Saudi clubs. But Hammad confirmed that Saudi officials are now seeking long-term league growth, not short-term publicity.
While Messi continues his career in the United States, Saudi Arabia presses ahead with broader ambitions—most notably hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a key milestone in its global sports investment agenda.
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