Newcastle trophy parade on hold with players to train in Saudi Arabia

Newcastle’s EFL Cup final 2025 winners will have to wait for a trophy parade in the city because of the international break and a warm weather training camp in Saudi Arabia, with an announcement reportedly expected on the date of an event following talks between the club, Newcastle City Council and Northumbria Police.

The Magpies are owned by a consortium led by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and are returning to Riyadh this week, where their non-international players trained during the November international break as part of a series of visits by the squad to the homeland of fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who celebrated on the pitch at Wembley Stadium with the trophy before joining the team in a Newcastle shirt for a post-match function.

The scorers in their 2-0 win over Liverpool, And Burn and Alexander Isak, are among the players who will be on international duty, starting with a potential England debut for the defender at home to Albania on Friday (7.45pm GMT), followed by the top scorer’s Sweden hosting Luxembourg in a friendly on Saturday (5pm).

An announcement on a parade to mark Newcastle’s first domestic trophy since the 1955 FA Cup could be made on Monday afternoon, according to Chronicle Live.

GOOD MORNING! 😍 pic.twitter.com/pCqxLC3Sfl

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 17, 2025

Al-Rumayyan, who also manages LIV Golf and is the chairman of airline Riyadh Air, was named Newcastle chairman when the consortium completed their deal in October 2021.

As he lifted the trophy, the 55-year-old was shown telling fans at Wembley: “That’s the first – and it’s not going to be the last.”

The victorious players are said to have headed for nearby food and retail venue Boxpark after the final, where Al-Rumayyan reportedly posed for photos in club colours with Newcastle co-owner Jamie Reuben.

Newcastle have spent £400 million on transfers – including £63m on Isak – since the takeover, lifting them from the relegation places to a return to the Champions League last season and contention for European qualification through their league placing again in 2024/25.

Newcastle United Chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, with the promise of more silverware for #NUFC fans….

🗣️ 🇸🇦 “That’s the first…..and it’s not going to be the last!”#CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/UUOVJ2otHX

— 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝘆𝗻𝗲 #NUFC (@ToonMouthTyne) March 17, 2025

Saudi Arabia sportswashing accusations

Saudi Arabia has been accused of investing in sport as a means of ‘sportswashing’, using high-profile events such as finals to improve its international reputation.

“Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of high-profile sports businesses like Newcastle United or the PGA Tour are as much about sportswashing the country’s appalling human rights record as they are about adding one or two per cent to national GDP,” said Felix Jakens, of Amnesty International UK, in September 2023 via BBC Sport.

Speaking at the time, Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is said to be a close ally of Al-Rumayyan, said he did not care about the accusations.

“If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we’ll continue doing sportswashing,” he told Fox News. “I don’t care (about the term).

“I have 1% growth in GDP from sport and I am aiming for another 1.5%. Call it what you want – we are going to get that 1.5%.”