news Alerts
There are no new alerts at this time
WASHINGTON — Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be at the White House on Tuesday, coinciding with the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a White House official.
It’s unclear which meetings the Portuguese soccer star will participate in and whether he will attend the black-tie dinner the same night for bin Salman.
Ronaldo, 40, currently plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Next year’s World Cup, hosted jointly by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, will likely be his last appearance at the tournament.
After a storied European career, Ronaldo’s Manchester United contract ended in November 2022 amid tensions between him and the club; he signed with Al-Nassr in December of that year. The contract was reportedly worth over $200 million a year.
In June, Ronaldo re-signed with Al-Nassr for two more years. His decision to join the Saudi Pro League seemingly set the stage for other stars to follow suit, as Brazil’s Neymar and France’s Karim Benzama also joined the league in 2023.
Saudi Arabia has expanded its foothold into global sports over the last few years, launching LIV Golf in 2022, as well as hosting Formula One races and high-profile boxing matches. Last year, FIFA named the country the host of the 2034 World Cup.
In September, the country announced it would hold a flag football tournament in March 2026 featuring numerous retired and current NFL players, including Tom Brady.
The rapid expansion into sports has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse Saudi Arabia of trying to “sportswash” its human rights records.
Bin Salman, meanwhile, became an international pariah after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a fierce critic of his government, in 2018. Trump defended the Saudi government even after the CIA concluded that the crown prince himself ordered the killing. Trump also has personal business relationships with Saudi Arabia, including hosting LIV Golf events at his properties.
Trump and bin Salman are expected to sign economic and defense agreements, a White House official told NBC News.
Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.
Rohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.
© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
Cristiano Ronaldo expected at the White House, coinciding with the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – NBC News
Related articles
