The Saudi League is second in the list of the most spent in the summer of 2023

Clubs occupied Saudi League Football ranks second in the world in spending on new players during the summer period, behind the English Premier League, according to what was reported by FIFA, today, Friday.

The total spending by Saudi clubs amounted to 875.4 million US dollars, behind England (1.98 billion), ahead of France (859.7), Germany (762.4), Italy (711) and Spain (405.6).

As a result, the share of AFC clubs in total international transfer expenses reached 14%, which is the first time that the share of clubs affiliated with a continental association from outside Europe exceeded 10% of the total.

After the arrival of Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr in January, the Saudi League witnessed major deals in the summer, presented by Brazilian Neymar (Al-Hilal), Frenchman Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad), Senegalese Sadio Mane (Al-Nasr), and Algerian Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahly).

Transfer fees broke all previous records; Its value reached $7.36 billion between June 1 and September 1, an increase of 47.2% over the mid-year 2022 recording period, and 26.8% over the previous record recorded in mid-year 2019.

In turn, FIFA’s Head of Legal Affairs and Compliance, Emilio Garcia Silvero, said that Germany achieved first place in terms of revenues generated from transfer fees ($1.11 billion), and this is the first time that profits achieved by clubs affiliated with a single national federation have exceeded the threshold of one billion dollars in a period. Mid year.

Player agent fees have also reached unprecedented heights. During the mid-year registration period, its value reached $696.6 million, with a total of $853 million throughout 2023, recording an increase of 36.9% over the total fees for the entire year of 2022, and more than any other previous year.

The first stage

Deloitte, a company specializing in financial auditing, revealed earlier Friday that Saudi clubs spent a total of $957 million on the transfer of new players, exceeding what was incurred by 4 of the five major European leagues.

According to Deloitte, the Saudi League ranked second with a net spending of $907 million, behind the English Premier League ($1.39 billion), after attracting “94 foreign players, including 37 players from the five major leagues.”

The distribution of the Saudi League spending on buying other players from French league ($148 million) andItalian ($122 million) andHispanic ($116 million) andGerman ($32 million), as well as other periodicals.

Commenting on the huge Saudi acquisition, Izzy Ray from the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said: “We are now still in the first phase of this ambitious project. What reinforces this optimistic future outlook is the lower average age of players in the Saudi League compared to the last season.”

Ray added that it is “the first time since 2016 that the spending of a non-European league exceeds the total spending of one of the five major European leagues… The upcoming Saudi investments in football will focus on the infrastructure of this sport, in order to raise the level of the game in the Kingdom and in the continent of Asia.” As a whole”.

Ray continued: “Saudi Professional League spending is still equal to about a third of total spending English Premier League In this summer market, the efforts of Saudi clubs will now focus on securing the success factors for the development journey that the Saudi League started, by securing the financial sustainability of each of them.

Ray added: “The desired progress that the Saudi League seeks depends on increasing the level of professionalism and governance in Saudi clubs, as well as on developing young talented players, and attracting an international fan base.”