The Supercopa de España is being played in Saudi Arabia mainly because of a long-term, highly lucrative hosting deal between the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and Saudi authorities, tied to money, global exposure, and Saudi “sportswashing” ambitions. The agreement has turned what was once a local curtain-raiser into an export product aimed at TV markets and political image-building rather than Spanish match‑going fans.

What the Supercopa is now

  • The Supercopa is a mini‑tournament featuring La Liga champions and runners‑up plus Copa del Rey winners and runners‑up, played as two semifinals and a final in January.
  • Since 2020 (except a COVID‑affected year in Spain), it has been staged in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Jeddah at King Abdullah Sports City, and is scheduled to stay there through at least 2029.

The core reason: money

  • In 2019, RFEF struck a multi‑year contract to move the Supercopa to Saudi Arabia, with reports describing it as worth a “substantial” sum to the federation and participating clubs, far more than playing it at home grounds in Spain.
  • Fans and forum discussions boil the logic down to one word — money — with many supporters openly mocking the decision as pure cash‑grab and “sportswashing.”

Saudi Arabia’s motives

  • Hosting the Supercopa fits Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy of using major football events to boost its international image, attract tourism, and build soft power ahead of bigger goals like the 2034 World Cup.
  • By regularly hosting Real Madrid, Barcelona and other top Spanish clubs, Saudi Arabia gains global TV exposure and positions its stadiums and infrastructure as world‑class football venues.

Why Spain agreed

  • Spanish football earns far less than the Premier League and sees exporting the Supercopa as a way to close the financial gap with extra revenue for RFEF and the clubs.
  • The federation also pitches it as a way to “globalize” Spanish football and grow La Liga’s brand in new markets, even though many traditional fans feel completely sidelined by the move.

Criticism and controversy

  • Supporters in Spain complain that travelling to Saudi Arabia is more expensive and less meaningful than a typical Champions League away day, calling the event a “scam” or saying it is no longer really a Spanish Super Cup.
  • Human‑rights concerns, LGBTQ+ exclusion and accusations of corruption or commissions around the deal have led many fans to see the arrangement as a classic case of football selling its soul for cash.

TL;DR: The Supercopa de España is in Saudi Arabia because RFEF sold hosting rights in a long, lucrative deal that gives Spain’s clubs more money and Saudi Arabia more global prestige, even if many fans hate what it has done to the competition’s identity.