Saudi Arabia government official Turki Alalshikh has abandoned his proposed investment in the English Championship football club Derby County, according to reports. The deal, which had been under review by the football regulator since May, was withdrawn by Alalshikh.
The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) stated it had a statutory duty to thoroughly assess prospective owners of clubs in the top five divisions of men's football. The IFR completed its assessment of Alalshikh's bid within 55 days, well within the 90 days allowed by law. The regulator had communicated a preliminary decision to approve the bid before the start of the 2026-27 season.
The IFR's assessment criteria include financial soundness, sufficient financial resources, the source of wealth, and honesty and integrity, which involves checks on criminal proceedings, civil actions, and other regulatory investigations.
The proposed investment had attracted criticism from human rights campaigners, including Amnesty International, which had labeled the situation a "defining test" for the independent regulator. Alalshikh, who chairs Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority and is associated with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has faced accusations of "sportswashing" – the use of sports to enhance a country's international image and distract from its human rights record.
Alalshikh previously owned Spanish club Almeria, selling it to a Saudi Arabian investment group in May. He also owned Egyptian club Pyramids between 2018 and 2019.