SUMMARY
- The Saudi League has grown in prominence lately.
- The French Ligue 1 attracts more viewers than the Saudi Pro League.
The Saudi Pro League has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in the past few years. The Middle Eastern country has used its great financial backing to lure many players into the league.
Some of the biggest names in the soccer world, like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante, etc., are now playing in Saudi Arabia. A new global powerhouse, the Saudi Pro League is expected to grow even more in the coming years.
🚨Jordan Henderson: “I started watching Saudi League matches after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo. Especially in the summer since Ronaldo joined, that have come to make the league better and try to improve it, and hopefully that can continue. Since Cristiano come here,… pic.twitter.com/fgxppMcWfD
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) December 19, 2023
However, despite the enormous growth, the Saudi Pro League is still not among the most-watched leagues in the world. The latest rankings would rather upset the league’s biggest star, who made a bold claim about the SPL in January 2024.
Saudi Pro League loses out to French Ligue 1
The latest rankings have many points to talk about. However, the biggest of them all is the fact that the Saudi Pro League is not even in the top 10. This is shocking considering the amount of hype the league has generated with its big-money signings. Many non-European leagues have found a place in the top 10, but not the SPL.
As one would expect, the English Premier League has earned the top spot in the rankings, followed by La Liga in third. Surprisingly, two of the biggest European leagues, the Serie A and the Bundesliga, have been ranked very lowly in the top 10. The two leagues have earned the rankings of 5th and 7th, respectively, which explains why their clubs have been struggling financially of late.
🚨🚨
Top 10 most watched football leagues in the world based on their worldwide television audience :
MLS at 6th.
But but Ronaldo influence 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/wrx8D0Y3oY
— Max Stéph (@maxstephh) March 30, 2024
Major League Soccer is another surprise entrant on the list, having bagged the 6th position. It can be said that Lionel Messi’s influence has quickly started paying dividends. Liga MX Apertura won the honor of being the most-watched soccer league in the world. The Mexican League was ranked fourth on the list.
The Saudi Pro League’s dismal viewership perfectly demonstrates that money is not the biggest factor in sports. The SPL authorities, despite bringing in superstars, have failed to make the league enjoyable to watch.
Soccer players too have encountered many difficulties, such as an excessively hot climate, scanty crowds, etc. The league authorities need to fix these shortcomings as soon as possible, or the SPL faces the prospect of losing its relevance.
Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier talked about the growth of the SPL
The one person who will be most disappointed by the rankings is Cristiano Ronaldo. Lionel Messi’s competitor’s league has been ranked way higher than the SPL, which proves that the Argentine has more brand value than CR7. Moreover, French Ligue 1 has been ranked 6th on the link, and despite the Portuguese’s confidence, they have defeated SPL in terms of viewership.
Cristiano Ronaldo had high hopes for the Saudi Pro League when he arrived in early 2023. He envisaged making the Saudi Pro League one of the most competitive leagues in the world. And an exodus of players from Europe might have given him some extra confidence.
🚨 Cristiano Ronaldo: “Saudi League is not worst than Ligue1”.
“Saudi Pro League is more competitive than Ligue1, I can say that after one year spent there”.
🇫🇷 “We are better than French league already now”. pic.twitter.com/LUWdz1T2V5
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 19, 2024
The former Real Madrid player was brimming with confidence when he established the supremacy of the Saudi Pro League over Ligue 1. He said (via Sports Illustrated), “The level right now? To be honest, I think the Saudi league is not worse than France’s league in my opinion.”
He also believed that the SPL is much more competitive than the French Ligue 1, as it has seen more winners in recent times. Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments have created huge turmoil, with many debating over his comments. Despite the Portuguese’s beliefs, the statistics paint a completely different picture. Cristiano Ronaldo should also accept the stats and stop unnecessarily slandering other leagues.
