Soft power or geoeconomic contest? A comparative study of gulf sport diplomacy

Abstract

In the 21st century, sports have become a key soft power tool, with terms like “sportswashing” critiquing Gulf states such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia for using mega sports events (MSEs) to improve global reputations. This paper challenges dominant narratives to examine their distinct sports strategies: Doha integrates sports into its National Vision 2030 to promote economic diversification and modern Islamic identity contesting Western norms, demonstrated by the FIFA World Cup’s broad international support; Riyadh uses sports to assert regional leadership and support domestic reforms under its Vision 2030, reflecting Crown Prime Mohammed bin Salman’s call for a “modern Islam, open to the world.” The study argues that prevailing Global North framework like soft power and sportswashing inadequately capture the political and cultural complexities of Gulf sports diplomacy. The paper draws on non-Western geoeconomics perspectives while also providing space for thinkers such as Kautilya, and Ibn Khaldun, critiquing epistemic bias in international relations and advocates for a pluralistic, context-sensitive understanding that recognizes Gulf sports diplomacy as a culturally grounded assertion of Global South agency in shaping global narratives.