Sponsorship: Lionel Messi appointed as an ambassador of Visit Saudi (Saudi Tourism Authority)

Argentinian player Lionel Messi has been appointed as an ambassador of Visit Saudi, a brand belonging to the Saudi Arabian Tourism Authority, announced the two parties on 10/05/2022.

Messi who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 Uber Eats), a club owned since 2011 by the Emirate of Qatar via the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Sports Investments, posted photos of his trip to Saudi Arabia on social media. "Today I welcome Lionel Messi and his friends to Saudi Arabia for a special holiday. This is not his first visit to the Kingdom, nor will it be his last, and I am happy to announce Messi as the ambassador of Saudi tourism," said Ahmed Al-Khatib, Saudi Minister for Tourism, to the Saudi daily newspaper Al Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia is thus continuing its policy of investing in sport. The Kingdom, which has been holding a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Jeddah since 2021, also became the 100% owner of Newcastle United FC (Premier League) through a group of investors led by the national public fund (PIF) on 07/10/2021. It also organises the Dakar Rally, a cycling event on the UCI calendar…