The party in Newcastle began on Thursday evening and raged through the weekend. Jets of champagne spurted above chanting crowds while shirtless men whooped and cavorted through the streets. 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. For fans, 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. and a new era of wealth - and perhaps glory. "A fresh start," tweeted the supporters' trust. "Welcome to Newcastle United Football Club."

But a closer look at who they are welcoming reveals a darker side to this story: 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 of them children, while its economy relies on labour from migrants who are paid very little.

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 infamous religious courts have lost much of their power, while the use of the death penalty has been reduced, with only 27 executions in 2020.

These moves briefly made MBS a popular figure. But his positive image was shattered in 2018 when 15 of his agents murdered and mutilated the dissident 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? There are two reasons.

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. "He's accepted and celebrated for rescuing a struggling team. Everyone then sees everything in a different light." 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. and fair play.

Those images of jubilant fans, then, 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. "You've got to be allowed to enjoy a bit of hope, and that's the priority today."

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

Yes, say critics of the Saudi regime: 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.