Koch Talks to franceinfo About Gulf Sports

June 5, 2025

Natalie Koch

Geography & the Environment Department

Central Asia & the Caucasus Initiative

Middle Eastern Studies Program

Government

International Affairs

Middle East & North Africa

Natalie Koch

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), owned by Qatar since 2011, won the Champions League, marking the culmination of a long-term, state-backed strategy blending sport, geopolitics and global branding. Qatar's massive financial investment has not only transformed PSG into a European powerhouse but also served broader goals of international prestige and influence.

“They are very savvy investors,” says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment.

Despite criticisms of "sportwashing" and state involvement in football, Qatar views PSG as part of a wider soft power project, with the club’s success reinforcing the emirate’s global presence without needing direct commercial returns.

“Apart from during the 2022 World Cup, you haven't seen massive ‘Visit Qatar’ campaigns. The country doesn't need to attract tourists, its 200,000 citizens are wealthy and all the infrastructure already exists,” Koch says. “It's very different from Saudi Arabia [which bought English club Newcastle in 2021] where a large part of the population suffers from poverty.”