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Scenes of Sports Diplomacy in Trump's Gulf Tour

Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelwahab The visit of the President of the United States to the Gulf region in mid-May was not traditional; Trump is an exceptional figure, and the version of his second term differs greatly from the first, as he does not care much for diplomatic norms and their boundaries. How could he commit to them if even geographic boundaries do not constrain his economic and investment visions? Talking about annexing Canada to the United States reveals much about his political and economic propositions inside and outside the United States. And if Trump's statements often involve intimidating rhetoric and rough diplomacy, can he be imagined to believe in the importance of soft power in enhancing the state's image and its foreign relations? Does he realize that public diplomacy might contribute to improving political communication between leaders? And can his administration succeed in using the hosting of international sports events, such as the Club World Cup next June and the joint hosting of the 2026 World Cup, to improve relations with neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico? Despite all these questions, the evidence points to an exceptional diplomatic pattern that may evolve into a new school in international relations attributed to Trump , who is eager to achieve accomplishments credited to him. This is in addition to what the first five months of his second term have shown, whether in superiority diplomacy (as seen in his conversation with the President of South Africa at the White House), acquisition diplomacy (such as the mineral deal with Ukraine), and other features that characterize his handling of foreign policy files, although he has some ideas about developing sports and sports investment, and he has good relations with athletes. And due to Trump's lack of conviction in the value of traditional tools for implementing his foreign policies and his preference to rely on advisors and influential economic figures — who accompanied him on his first foreign tour, along with the presence of the FIFA president in two stops of the tour — it is important to pause at some scenes of sports diplomacy during his visit to Gulf countries, as football and sports investment are among the most prominent images of public diplomacy. Especially considering that, despite the presence of the FIFA president among the delegation of investors and CEOs accompanying Trump, and Infantino's pride in participating in a tour full of historic agreements, he faced sharp criticism from members of the FIFA Congress — especially the Europeans — for being late to the Congress meeting in Paraguay, considering his visits to Riyadh and Doha as coming at the expense of official obligations and favoring his personal ambitions. Thus, even sports are not free from political calculations at the level of federations. Scene One: During his participation in the Saudi-American Investment Forum, in the session titled 'The Road to 2034… Partnerships and Progress Towards the World Cup in Saudi Arabia', Infantino affirmed in his speech that Saudi Arabia is one of the world's leading investors in football and that its hosting of the World Cup is a pivotal moment in the history of the world's most popular game. He added that football represents a massive economy, with its related global GDP estimated at about $270 billion annually. Scene Two: The Emir of Qatar presented Trump with the official ball of the 2022 World Cup, enhancing the role of sports diplomacy in strengthening ties between peoples and countries and showing the position of football in the political and diplomatic arena. Qatar has a successful model in sponsoring European competitions, and Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League title supports that investment which began years ago. Scene Three: The conversation that took place in Abu Dhabi between Trump and Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of City Group, which addressed the preparations for the opening of the New York City stadium before the 2028 Olympics. Trump showed clear interest in the conversation, which highlights how sports diplomacy contributes to supporting countries' infrastructure, noting that City Group, backed by the Mubadala investment fund, has interests in European and Latin American countries. These scenes reflect the development of the relationship between sport and investment. It is no longer limited to club acquisitions, but now includes integrated systems involving teams, stadiums, and brand names. The Russian model in Chelsea, followed by the entry of Chinese investors and the Arab investment that began with Mohamed Al-Fayed entering the field of investing in English clubs — all these moves developed rapidly. Sports investment has become more complex and interconnected both locally and internationally. In conclusion, Trump's visit to Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi draws new features of the intersection between sports, economy, and politics, and affirms the importance of sports diplomacy, which is gaining increasing interest from world leaders as an effective tool to present soft power and strengthen ties between countries beyond the traditional constraints of politics. Gulf countries are among the most prominent models in employing sports to enhance their foreign interests. read more Analysis- Turkey Has 0 Regional Allies... Why? Analysis: Russia, Turkey... Libya in Return For Syria? Analysis: Who Will Gain Trump's Peace Plan Fruits? 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