Neom: A futuristic vision for sport on feet of clay
Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city Neom is being built to host major international sports events, including the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and is already sponsoring a vast number of sports events. Yet, behind the ambitious facade lies a troubling story of human rights abuses and controversies.
Photo: Pacific Press, NEOM, Francois Nel/Getty Images. Illustration: Play the Game
This article is part of Play the Game’s report ‘Saudi Arabia’s grip on world sport’ published in December 2024.
The report is based on a dataset which maps 910 sponsorships in sport and 1,412 positions held across Saudi entities.
Read more about the project and download the report and the full dataset
Imagine a World Cup where fans travel from ultra-luxurious hotels to a massive 45,000-seat stadium towering 350 meters above sea level. This is the vision Saudi Arabia wants the world to see as it promotes Neom as a host city in its bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Neom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious 1.5 trillion US dollar mega-project, is a centerpiece of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – a plan that aims to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and rebrand it as a global sports hub.
Neom’s role in the Kingdom’s sports strategy is evident. In 2024, Neom’s name has been visible at multiple international sports events, including the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, and Neom’s own multi-sport Beach Games which attracted teams from over 25 countries to compete in disciplines ranging from beach soccer to volleyball.
In addition, Neom owns the Saudi football club Neom SC.
Looking ahead, Neom has secured the rights to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at its Trojena mountain destination, making it the first Olympic event awarded to a city that doesn’t yet exist on the map.
2024 Neom Beach Games events
¤ 2024 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup Neom (Swimming)
¤ 2024 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Neom (Basketball)
¤ 2024 Neom Beach Soccer Cup (Football)
¤ 2024 Supertri Neom (Triathlon)
¤ 2024 Neom IFSC Masters (Climbing)
¤ 2024 Neom Titan Desert (Cycling)
Expanding influence in Asian and European football
Since 2021, Neom has been the Official Global Partner for the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) national team and club competition. The partnership was renewed in 2024 for another five years.
Neom’s reach stretches to Europe as well, with its partnership as a presenting sponsor for Spain’s Spanish Super Cup, which positions Neom’s brand alongside some of football’s most iconic clubs.
From Formula E to Extreme E
Neom has also become part an active part of Saudi Arabia’s extensive investments in motorsports.
While Aramco has high-profile sponsorships of Formula One and the Dakar Rally, Neom has formed a partnership with McLaren Racing to create Neom McLaren Electric Racing which competes in the electric car series Formula E and Extreme E.
Enowa, Neom’s energy, water and hydrogen subsidiary, has also signed partnership deals with Extreme E including a sponsorship of the 2024 Extreme E – Desert X race hosted in Jeddah. The deal intertwines Neom’s futuristic brand with high-technological motorsport.
The NEOM MCLAREN FORMULA E TEAM at the Hankook London E-Prix in 2023.
The dark reality of Neom’s shining vision
The Saudi regime describes Neom as “the future of sport” and “humanity’s next chapter”, but beneath the allure lies a history of displacement, oppression, and, for some, death.
In 2020, The Guardian reported that the development of Neom was accompanied by “threats, forced eviction and bloodshed.”
In October 2022, Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court sentenced three members of the Huwaitat tribe to death for opposing the eviction from their ancestral land to make way for the Neom project.
In May 2023, UN experts voiced grave concern over the imminent risk of these executions and urged the Kingdom’s authorities to halt the process and investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
In 2023, the human rights organisation ALQST released the report ‘The Dark Side of Neom’ which details the extent of expropriation, expulsion and prosecution of the region’s original inhabitants.
In June 2024, the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) filed formal complaints with the International Labour Organization (ILO) which accused Saudi construction companies involved in Neom’s development of severe human rights abuses and wage theft affecting at least 21,000 workers.
In October 2024, ITV’s documentary ‘Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia’ exposed further exploitation including grueling 16-hour workdays, denial of leave, and inadequate living conditions.
Photo: Wirestock/Getty Images