British press coverage of international sports events hosted by Saudi Arabia: content analysis study in light of country concept model

This paper examines British press coverage of international sports events hosted in Saudi Arabia, using the country concept model. Content analysis of The Sun and Daily Mail revealed that while negative coverage initially dominated, it decreased over time, with neutral and positive coverage increasing. The study highlights the role of the country concept model in understanding Saudi Arabia's image and reputation, influenced by both controllable (e.g., public diplomacy) and uncontrollable (e.g., social media) elements. The findings confirm that despite Saudi Arabia's soft power initiatives, including hosting major sporting events, negative perceptions persist due to factors outside the government's direct control.

Yazeed Abdullah Almahraj