For episode three of Intelligence Squared's new podcast exploring Saudi Arabia's pursuit of global influence, award winning author and journalist James Montague, who focuses on the intersection of football and politics, explains the eye-watering sums of money Saudi Arabia is spending on sport and why the reasons for this are not as obvious as they might seem. Montague has reported from over 80 countries and is the author of books including The Billionaires Club: The Unstoppable Rise of Football's Super-Rich Owners, 1312: Among the Ultras and When Friday Comes: Football, War and Revolution in the Middle East. He writes for publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times and Delayed Gratification. This episode was hosted and produced by Conor Boyle. If you'd like to enjoy all five episodes of The Saudi Project now, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices