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I think there is no doubt in this verdict that the Saudi pro league is the more popular league than china. And the only reason which is very understandable is the presence of well known players from around the world. Because the Saudi pro league is playing very smartly among all the leagues. It's my personal opinion that their main goal was just to make them popular all over the world. When their popularity rises well then they will host the football world cup. Because now the saudi pro league has players which pull out the fans and viewers just by their names. So with resources the strategy to make them in use is also very important.
Right now, yes, of course Saudi Pro League is better and more popular than China's Super League. Just like 10 years ago it was the opposite. The question we should ask ourselves is where do we see the Saudi Pro League in 10 years? Saudi Arabia is going to host the 2034 World Cup, I know we are very far away but will they be able to keep interest in football even after the competition? Or is it just for advertisement and marketing? Only time will tell, it's going to be interesting to see how things will develop, that's for sure.
Saudi is making football an investment to increase state revenue. They are trying to become less dependent on oil and gas. I think that's the real goal, and it's a pretty smart move. Football has now become an industry that can generate significant long term profits, so it makes perfect sense for Saudi to invest in the sport. To achieve this goal, the Saudi government, through the Public Investment Fund (PIF), provides full financial support to at least four clubs, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al Ahli.
Therefore, in many aspects, the Saudi Pro League is indeed superior to the Chinese Super League. Saudi Arabia investment strategy has been quite successful so far, including the recruitment of players like Ronaldo and several other former top European players. Saudi successful lobbying of FIFA to host the 2034 World Cup is further proof that China hasn't gone that far. I believe the Saudi Pro League will continue to grow over the next decade, as will the Saudi national team.