Pecohub Paul Pogba has invested in a Saudi camel racing team, making him the first professional footballer to buy into the sport.
Al Haboob, based in Saudi Arabia, claims to be the world’s first professional camel racing team. Organisers state they are laying the foundations for the sport’s first professional league.
Pogba has signed on as both an ambassador and a shareholder.
Camel racing is primarily a Gulf sport, with the animals racing over a certain distance while robots—rather than humans—act as the “jockeys.”
Footage of the sport has shown team officials driving alongside the race in cars, controlling whips used by the robots via remote control.
Al Haboob was founded in 2021 alongside the RedSea Camel Company, a group of breeders. In 2024, Netflix released a series on the team titled Camel Quest.
“I am incredibly excited to be joining forces with Al Haboob,” Pogba said.
“I’ve always been someone who wants to try new things and do things differently—whether it’s in how I play, how I express myself, or how I approach life off the pitch.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed with many opportunities and proposals, but this one felt different. It resonated with me on a deeper level—culturally, in terms of legacy, and in storytelling.
“Joining Al Haboob felt like being invited into a new family, and saying yes was an easy decision.
“Al Haboob represents exactly that: something fresh, meaningful, and exciting while staying true to who I am.”
Pogba recently returned to action for AS Monaco following a doping ban, marking his comeback after a two-year absence.
