The ethics behind the recent takeover of Newcastle United Football Club

This article uses well-established normative ethical theories from the field of philosophy to evaluate the takeover of England’s Newcastle United Football Club by a Saudi-backed investment fund. Major concerns are the human rights record of Saudi Arabia; whether a foreign government in effect owns an English football club; and the risk that an unfair competitive advantage will accrue to Newcastle due to the amount of funds at their disposal. We remained concerned about the sporting ethics of the takeover, but we accept that it has been greeted with enthusiasm by most Newcastle United supporters. This article has long-term relevance since other clubs may be inspired to seek out similar deals in order to increase their prospects of success in the English Premier League and in European competitions.