# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer
- **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 29 Apr, 2026 at 05:30 pm – Wed, 29 Apr, 2026 at 07:40 pm (-05:00)
- **Event Description**: Join the author of “Kingdom of Football” to analyze the domestic, economic and foreign policy drivers behind Saudi Arabia’s turn to footballAbout this EventFrom signing Brazilian World Cup captain Roberto Rivelino back in 1978 to bringing in Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most globally recognized athletes of the modern era, in 2023, Saudi Arabia has steadily expanded its influence in world football. How did the kingdom reach this point, and can it transform itself into a lasting center of power in the global game?On April 29, fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen will present his new book, “Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer” (Hurst, 2025). Writing as both a soccer fan and a Gulf specialist, Dr. Ulrichsen places Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a football hub in a historical and comparative context. He traces earlier Saudi investments in the 1970s and examines parallel efforts in the United States, Japan and China to elevate the sport nationally.Moving beyond popular media labels such as “sportswashing,” “Kingdom of Football” analyzes the domestic, economic and foreign policy drivers behind Saudi Arabia’s turn to football. The book also compares Riyadh’s strategy with those pursued by other Gulf States, such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Ulrichsen concludes by assessing the sustainability of the kingdom’s engagement with the sport as it prepares to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.Dr. Ulrichsen will be joined in conversation by A.Kadir Yildirim. The event will conclude with a book signing.Follow @BakerInstitute on X to join the conversation online with #BakerLive.Agenda🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:00 PMReception & Book Sales🕑: 06:00 PMIntroduction🕑: 06:05 PMRemarks by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen🕑: 06:35 PMModerated Discussion🕑: 07:00 PMQ&A Session🕑: 07:20 PM - 07:40 PMBook Signing
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/houston/kingdom-of-football-saudi-arabia-and-the-remaking-of-world-soccer/100001983389530477
- **Event Categories**: sports, football, art, literary-art
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 0

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD

## Event venue details

- **city**: Houston
- **state**: TX
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Rice University's Baker Institute
- **lat**: 29.7166049
- **long**: -95.40266329999997
- **full address**: Rice University's Baker Institute, 6100 Main Street, Houston, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/1936b1340fb45137295d9a1d84b9142145f4fe42fe76ea8143ede12268fbfe22-rimg-w1200-h600-dc021801-gmir.jpg?v=1772338473

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer being held?
  - **A:** Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer takes place on Wed, 29 Apr, 2026 at 05:30 pm to Wed, 29 Apr, 2026 at 07:40 pm at Rice University's Baker Institute, 6100 Main Street, Houston, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer?
  - **A:** Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer is organized by Rice University's Baker Institute.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer is ideal for sports fans, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone who loves the thrill of live competitive action and the energy of a crowd. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Houston, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

## Structured Data (JSON-LD)

```json
[
    {
        "@context": "https://schema.org",
        "@type": "Event",
        "name": "Kingdom of Football: Saudi Arabia and the Remaking of World Soccer",
        "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/1936b1340fb45137295d9a1d84b9142145f4fe42fe76ea8143ede12268fbfe22-rimg-w1200-h600-dc021801-gmir.jpg?v=1772338473",
        "startDate": "2026-04-29T17:30:00-05:00",
        "endDate": "2026-04-29T19:40:00-05:00",
        "url": "https://allevents.in/houston/kingdom-of-football-saudi-arabia-and-the-remaking-of-world-soccer/100001983389530477",
        "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",
        "location": {
            "@type": "Place",
            "name": "Rice University's Baker Institute",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "6100 Main Street",
                "postalCode": "77005",
                "addressLocality": "Houston",
                "addressRegion": "TX",
                "addressCountry": "US"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "29.7166049",
                "longitude": "-95.40266329999997"
            }
        },
        "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
        "description": "Join the author of “Kingdom of Football” to analyze the domestic, economic and foreign policy drivers behind Saudi Arabia’s turn to football",
        "offers": [
            {
                "@type": "AggregateOffer",
                "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
                "priceCurrency": "USD",
                "availabilityStarts": "2026-03-01",
                "availabilityEnds": "2026-04-29T19:40:00-05:00",
                "validFrom": "2026-03-01",
                "lowPrice": "0.00",
                "highPrice": "0.00",
                "price": "0.00",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/houston/kingdom-of-football-saudi-arabia-and-the-remaking-of-world-soccer/100001983389530477"
            },
            {
                "@type": "Offer",
                "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
                "priceCurrency": "USD",
                "availabilityStarts": "2026-03-01",
                "availabilityEnds": "",
                "validFrom": "2026-03-01",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/houston/kingdom-of-football-saudi-arabia-and-the-remaking-of-world-soccer/100001983389530477",
                "price": 0,
                "name": "General Admission"
            }
        ],
        "organizer": [
            {
                "@type": "Organization",
                "name": "Rice Universitys Baker Institute",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/org/rice-universitys-baker-institute/22909941",
                "description": "The mission of the Baker Institute is to help bridge the gap between the theory and practice of public policy by drawing together experts from academia, government, media, business and nongovernmental organizations. By involving policymakers and scholars, as well as students (tomorrow’s policymakers and scholars), the institute seeks to improve the debate on selected public policy issues and to make a difference in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public policy, both domestic and international. The Baker Institute is an integral part of Rice University, one of the nation’s most distinguished institutions of higher education. The efforts of Baker Institute fellows and affiliated Rice faculty focus on several ongoing research projects, details of which can be found on the institute’s website,www.bakerinstitute.org."
            }
        ]
    }
]
```