The party in Newcastle raged through the weekend. Jets of champagne spurted above chanting crowds. The football legend Alan Shearer captured the mood: "Yesssssssss. We can dare to hope again."

The cause for all of this celebration? The long-awaited purchase of Newcastle United for £300m by a wealth fundThe fund, which comes from Saudi oil wealth, is legally separate from the state. Negotiators say that the deal includes legally binding clauses preventing Saudi Arabia from directly controlling the club. backed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This development promised a new dawn: an end to the reign of a hugely unpopular ownerFor the last 14 years Newcastle United has been owned by Mike Ashley, a businessman who fans criticised for failing to properly invest in the club and leading it to poor results.. "A fresh start," tweeted the supporters' trust. "Welcome to Newcastle United Football Club."

A closer look at who they are welcoming reveals a darker side: Saudi Arabia is one of the world's most repressive regimes. Founded on a hardline interpretation of Islam called WahhabismA strand of Islam which emphasises the literal truth of the Quran and treats those who do not share the same beliefs as enemies and traitors. It is the doctrine espoused by Osama bin Laden, who was himself Saudi Arabian., the Saudi state offers women and minorities few freedoms. In 2019 the country executed 184 people, some children.

Newcastle is now owned by a fund headed by the heir to this state: Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, known as MBS. In some respects, MBS is a reforming force in Saudi Arabia. Under his influence the religious courts have lost much of their power, while the use of the death penalty has been reduced.

These moves briefly made MBS popular. But his positive image was shattered when 15 of his agents murdered the journalist Jamal KhashoggiKhashoggi was murdered at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2018. It is widely agreed that he was assassinated by Saudi agents because of his opposition to the country's regime.. It was part of a broader crackdown in which prominent figures were tortured and killed. MBS has also pursued a war in YemenThe poorest country in the Gulf region is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. , resulting in over 100,000 deaths.

Why is such a figure interested in owning an English football club?

Firstly, Saudi Arabia's enormous wealth comes from fossil fuelsFuels made from decomposing plants and animals, including coal, natural gas and oil. These fuels release carbon dioxide, causing global warming.. With oil reserves dwindling and many countries attempting to transition to sustainable energy sources, Saudi rulers are keen to invest in assetsUseful or valuable things, or items owned by someone or something. that will not dry up. Sports teams are one such asset.

Secondly, Gulf statesThe Persian Gulf is a sea in the Middle East. The Gulf states are a group of Arab countries that border this sea. Some of these states have already invested in European football clubs: Manchester City's owners are from the United Arab Emirates, while Paris Saint Germain's are Qatari. like Saudi Arabia see association with beloved football teams as a way of polishing their reputation. MBS "wants legitimacy and credibility," says the murdered Khashoggi's fiancee. AmnestyAn official pardon for wrongdoing. Amnesty International is a charity dedicated to upholding human rights. calls this practice "sportswashing" and accuses football authorities of indulging it - despite their claims to support human rightsThe basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to live your life. Some have called for animals and even natural phenomena like rivers to have some form of human rights..

Those images of jubilant fans are not just about football: they are a huge propaganda victory for the Saudi leader. Yet most supporters shrug this off.  "As fans there's not a lot we can do about the human rights stuff," said one.

No. For these celebrating supporters, football is about the pitch. The world is big and complicated, but sport offers an arena where communities can come together with a sense of collective joy. This will rejuvenate not only a beleaguered team but an entire region.

Yes. Newcastle United is now nothing more than a puppet of a brutal regime. If you cheer for them you are cheering on tyrants and murderers, and supporting their bid for global influence and power.

Wealth fund - The fund, which comes from Saudi oil wealth, is legally separate from the state. Negotiators say that the deal includes legally binding clauses preventing Saudi Arabia from directly controlling the club.

Unpopular owner - For the last 14 years Newcastle United has been owned by Mike Ashley, a businessman who fans criticised for failing to properly invest in the club and leading it to poor results.

Wahhabism - A strand of Islam which emphasises the literal truth of the Quran and treats those who do not share the same beliefs as enemies and traitors. It is the doctrine espoused by Osama bin Laden, who was himself Saudi Arabian.

Jamal Khashoggi - Initially a journalist within the regime, he was forced into exile when he became more critical. He then wrote for the US newspaper the Washington Post before being killed in Istanbul on 2 October 2018.

Yemen - The poorest country in the Gulf region is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis which has been enormously exacerbated by Saudi Arabian blockades which prevent the supply of food and medicine.

Fossil fuels - Ancient materials of biological origin that can be burned for fuel, including coal, oil and gas. Saudi Arabia has the second largest oil reserves in the world.

Assets - Saudi Arabia's purchase of Newcastle may be followed by investments in the city's property, its transport infrastructure and possibly the development of enormous wind farms.

Gulf states - The Persian Gulf is a sea in the Middle East. The Gulf states are a group of Arab countries that border this sea. Some of these states have already invested in European football clubs: Manchester City's owners are from the United Arab Emirates, while Paris Saint Germain's are Qatari.

Amnesty - Amnesty International is a charity dedicated to upholding human rights.

Human rights - Universal principles that determine the minimum rights that all people should be given, as defined by international laws.