Premier League
ENGLAND’S PREMIER LEAGUE BECOMES LATEST PROXY FOR SAUDI-QATAR DISPUTE
The proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Qatar has spilled over into England’s Premier League, with a Qatari broadcast company seeking to block a Saudi Arabia-backed takeover of the Newcastle United team.
The company, beIN Media Group, the rights holder for Premier League games shown in the Middle East, has sent a letter to all 20 teams in the league and to its chief executive, discouraging them from allowing any sale to go through.
The beIN group has accused Saudi Arabia of backing a multibillion-dollar piracy operation undermining its valuable television rights by siphoning off its broadcast signals.
The two wealthy countries are locked in a range of political and economic disputes, stoking tension in the Middle East. Relations soured between them in 2017 when Saudi Arabia led a regional boycott of Qatar, accusing the gas-rich emirate of a supporting terrorism and criticising its relationship with Iran.
The letters, signed by beIN’s chief executive, Yousef Al-Obaidly, could turn the Premier League into yet another battleground for the countries.
The piracy operation, known as beoutQ, which independent investigators have tied to Saudi Arabia, is the largest in sports history, with the biggest athletic events around the world targeted, most of which were sold to beIN, the world’s largest buyer of sports rights.
Under the operation, beIN’s broadcasts were transmitted via Arabsat, a regional satellite operator in which Saudi Arabia is the biggest investor, and the beIN feed was identified with a beoutQ logo.
“Why is this important? Not only has the potential acquirer of Newcastle United caused huge damage to your club’s and the Premier League’s commercial revenues, but the legacy of the illegal service will continue to impact you going forward,” Al-Obaidly wrote in the letter to the clubs.
“When the Premier League season recommences in the coming months, all of the league’s broadcasters’ content will continue to be readily and illegally available.”
In September, an investigation financed by Fifa, two of its confederations and a group of top European soccer leagues, including the Premier League, concluded “without question” that Arabsat had played a vital role in the piracy operation.
Efforts to litigate against the operation foundered after law firms in Saudi Arabia refused to represent the affected organisations.
Until the dispute, Saudi Arabia was by far beIN’s biggest market in the Middle East and North Africa.
Now it is the one country in the world where Premier League content is accessible via only illegal means: either through beIN, which has been banned in the country since 2017, or via illegal television boxes, including beoutQ.
Very little has been said publicly about the sale of Newcastle, but reports of an imminent sale have increased in the past week. The Wall Street Journal in late January first revealed talks between Newcastle’s unpopular owner, Mike Ashley, and a group in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is said to be the biggest investor.
Scepticism about the deal remains because of the involvement of English businesswoman Amanda Staveley and her advisory firm, PCP Capital Partners, which have been rumoured to be on the verge of buying Newcastle for several years.
In January 2018, during a previous bout of speculation that linked Staveley to a purchase, advisers close to Ashley released a statement saying there had been “no deal on the table or even under discussion with Amanda Staveley and PCP.”
“Attempts to reach a deal with Amanda Staveley and PCP have proved exhausting, frustrating and a complete waste of time,” the advisers said at the time.
This time around, the talk is being taken more seriously because of recent documents filed with the companies register for the United Kingdom that link Staveley with the holding company through which Ashley, a retail billionaire, controls Newcastle.
There has been no comment from Staveley, Newcastle, the Public Investment Fund or the Premier League, which screens potential new investors through a process known as the owners and directors test.
“To the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct, we consider it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer of the club, including all directors, officers and other representatives from the KSA PIF or other Saudi Arabian entities involved in or otherwise providing any financing for the acquisition,” Al-Obaidly wrote in a separate letter to the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters.
“There appear to be several reasons such an investigation is being called for by other parties, the letter continued. “Our request is purely based on Saudi Arabia’s past and present theft of your and your member clubs’ intellectual property rights.”
There has already been much scrutiny and public comment because of the potential for Saudi state involvement in a league in which owners include the brother of Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin.
Human rights groups have criticised the potential sale to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Amnesty International’s UK director, Kate Allen, also wrote a letter to Masters, the Premier League’s chief executive.
“Unless the Premier League pauses and looks seriously at the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, it risks becoming a patsy,” Allen wrote, warning Masters not to allow the league to be used for what she described as “sportswashing” by Saudi Arabia.
“How can this be positive for the reputation and image of the Premier League?” Allen wrote.
Human rights groups have previously made the same criticism of Qatar’s interests in soccer, which include ownership of the Paris St-Germain team and the hosting rights to the 2022 World Cup.
For the majority of Newcastle fans, the prospect of a wealthy owner to replace Ashley, an unpopular figure for years, has been a welcome one. Fans have taken to social media expressing support for the idea and even changed their profiles to include the Saudi Arabian flag or the image of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
-New York Times
Premier League
Arsenal Paint London Red with Premier League Victory Parade Despite Champions League Heartbreak
Thousands of jubilant Arsenal supporters flooded the streets of north London on Sunday as the club celebrated its first Premier League title in 22 years, putting aside the disappointment of losing the UEFA Champions League final just 24 hours earlier.
The celebrations came less than a day after Arsenal suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest. Yet the setback did little to dampen the spirits of the club’s faithful, who turned out in huge numbers to honour a historic domestic triumph.
Players and coaching staff paraded through north London aboard an open-top bus, proudly displaying the Premier League trophy that Arsenal had finally reclaimed for the first time since Arsène Wenger’s legendary “Invincibles” side lifted it in the 2003-04 season.
Arsenal had wrapped up the title before the final round of fixtures after establishing an unassailable lead over defending champions Manchester City, who eventually finished seven points adrift of Mikel Arteta’s side.
The league crown marked Arsenal’s first major trophy since Arteta guided the club to FA Cup success in 2020 during his debut season as manager. It also ended years of frustration after the Gunners had finished runners-up in the Premier League in each of the previous three seasons.
Red flares, fireworks and the sound of vuvuzelas filled the air as supporters celebrated a long-awaited return to the summit of English football.
“We’re not European champions, but we are champions of England, and that’s what matters right now,” said Arsenal supporter Julien Guillenenat. “We’re happy to celebrate with everyone.”
Another fan, 44-year-old Mathieu Garnier, believes the Premier League triumph has finally removed the psychological burden that had weighed heavily on the team.
“Three years in a row we finished second, and now that pressure is gone,” he said. “These players are going to be flying next season. I really believe that.”
Adding to the festivities was Arsenal’s women’s team, who joined the celebrations after their successful FIFA Champions Cup campaign this season.
Midfielder Declan Rice, signed from West Ham United in 2023 for a club-record £105 million, said the title triumph had silenced many of the club’s critics.
“People were pointing and laughing at us before,” Rice told Sky Sports. “What happened? They’re not laughing anymore. I love this team, I love this manager, and to see the joy we’ve brought to the fans is incredible.
“Next season we’re coming back for more.”
Despite the pain of falling short in Europe, many Arsenal supporters remain optimistic that the club will soon challenge again for continental glory.
Twenty-two-year-old fan Theo Grant believes the Champions League disappointment will only strengthen the squad’s resolve.
“Honestly, this loss will give the players even more motivation,” he said. “We’ll be back. I believe we’ll reach the final again next season.”
For Arsenal supporters, however, Sunday was not about what might have been in Europe. It was about celebrating the end of a 22-year wait to be crowned champions of England once again.
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Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday and still face the risk of relegation from the Premier League in their final game of the season this weekend after goals either side of halftime from the home side’s Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos.
Fernandez let rip with a dipping shot from over 25 metres that Antonin Kinsky could not get close to in the 18th minute, electrifying the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge as the home fans revelled in the misery of their North London rivals.
The Argentina midfielder turned provider for Chelsea’s second goal in the 67th, cushioning a high ball into the feet of Santos, who scored from close range.
Richarlison got one back for Spurs in the 74th minute, but the defeat means Tottenham remain two points above West Ham United, who currently occupy the last relegation spot.
However, Spurs have a much better goal difference, meaning a draw at home to Everton on Sunday would all but guarantee their Premier League survival.
Chelsea, fresh from announcing former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso as their next manager after a limp 2025/26 campaign, climbed to eighth place, which offers a berth in the UEFA Conference League next season
The Blues, who lost to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, are one point behind Brighton & Hove Albion, who currently occupy the last of the Europa League spots.
Spurs had only themselves to blame for Tuesday’s defeat.
After Mathys Tel hit the post with a header in the 11th minute, they allowed Chelsea to dominate until Richarlison’s goal raised their hopes of rescuing the point they needed.
Substitute James Maddison looked sure to equalise in the 84th, but Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato stretched out a leg to block his angled shot.
The win was Chelsea’s first in the Premier League since March 4, giving their fans something to celebrate after a miserable run that included six consecutive league defeats.
It also means Spurs have only won once at Stamford Bridge since 1990.
-Reuters
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Arsenal F.C. have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City F.C. were held to a 1-1 draw by AFC Bournemouth, ending the most dramatic title race of recent seasons and completing a remarkable transformation under manager Mikel Arteta.
The title triumph marks Arsenal’s first league championship since the legendary “Invincibles” side led by Arsène Wenger went unbeaten throughout the 2003-04 campaign.
For Arteta, it represents the crowning moment of a rebuilding project that began when he replaced Unai Emery in December 2019. The Spaniard inherited a struggling Arsenal side but gradually rebuilt the club into genuine title contenders, guiding them to second-place finishes in each of the previous three seasons before finally ending Manchester City’s dominance.
Arsenal appeared in danger of suffering another late collapse after surrendering a nine-point lead earlier in the campaign, particularly following City’s crucial victory over them at the Etihad Stadium in April.
However, the momentum shifted again when City stumbled with a draw against Everton, allowing Arsenal to seize control of the race.
The North London club responded impressively, winning four consecutive matches without conceding a goal, including Monday’s tense 1-0 victory over Burnley F.C. that piled pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side heading into their trip to Bournemouth.
City’s failure to secure victory finally confirmed Arsenal as champions, triggering emotional celebrations among supporters gathered around the Emirates Stadium.
Fans watching the decisive match in nearby pubs poured onto the streets at the final whistle, while thousands more marched toward the Emirates within minutes of the title being secured.
Arteta had admitted before the match that he expected it to be difficult watching City’s game because of the enormous stakes involved, but the Spaniard ultimately witnessed the completion of one of the most significant managerial achievements in modern Arsenal history.
The Gunners will officially receive the Premier League trophy after their final game of the season against Crystal Palace F.C. at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Arsenal’s triumph could yet become part of an even greater achievement.
The club now have the opportunity to complete a historic double when they face Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in the UEFA Champions League final on May 30.
Only five English clubs have previously managed to win both the league title and the European Cup in the same season, with Manchester City the last side to achieve the feat in 2023.
The title success also signals a changing of the guard in English football.
With Guardiola expected to leave Manchester City after a decade in charge, Arteta — once his assistant at City — is poised to become the longest-serving manager across England’s top four divisions, underlining how dramatically his status has risen since arriving at Arsenal less than seven years ago.
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