[Gold Cup] USA v KSA...Yes, Really!

Ahlan wa sahlan ya dear listeners, thanks for joining us for another rodeo! In this one we will indeed be saying howdy to the Saudis as they visit the USA for the 2025 (and 2027) Gold Cup after being "invited" by CONCACAF.

In this episode we'll trace the long path that brought us here, all the way back to the 1933 founding of the main "character" of this episode, the Arabian-American Oil Company, otherwise known as Aramco. After the UK and France locked down their concessions in Iran/Iraq in the early 20th Century, the USA settled for their western neighbor, co-founding the oil exploration company in the Arabian Peninsula alongside the nascent nation state led by the Al Saud family. After a few fruitless years, they struck black gold in 1938 at Dammam, in the southeast corner of the Saudi territory, and it's been all gravy ever since...

Well, maybe not the whole time - conflicts over relationships with Israel resulting in embargos and cartels, and the growing strength of its centralized state led the Saudis to slowly nationalize the company, culminating with Aramco being renamed Saudi Aramco in 1988. Alongside a boom in the USA's domestic oil production, both nations continue to collaborate on military and economic axes in a more independent relationship.

The Gulf petrostates have made significant inroads in club football over the years, with Saudi nationals owning clubs like Sheffield United, Newcastle, and Pyramids FC, and are working their way towards a foothold in the international world as well, with the most recent World Cup being held in Qatar.

Given the history we've outlined, it is perhaps not surprising that the Saudis are cozying up to CONCACAF, sponsoring the 2024 Nations League through their state sovereign wealth fund (PIF) and airline (Riyadh Air), as well as the recent W Concachampions. What might be a bit more surprising is that their investments have resulted in a berth for their (men's...) national team in the 2025 and 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cups!

We review the history of the Saudi team, as well as the recently announced lineups for each squad, and make predictions in this special BONUS episode!

F&C