Paul Pogba is taking his ambitions off the pitch, backing Al Haboob as the team looks to globalise camel racing.
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has invested in Al Haboob, the world’s first professional camel racing team to compete internationally, as part of a push to bring the sport to a global audience.
The team, based in Saudi Arabia, competes across the UAE and the Gulf. Al Haboob was founded by entrepreneurs Safwan Modir and Omar Almaeena, who describe the team as a platform for competition, media storytelling and cultural promotion.
The name, which translates as “desert storm”, was referenced in Pogba’s announcement video posted on social media where he warned his followers “the storm is coming.”
Pogba has joined as both a shareholder and ambassador, providing him a stake in the team’s operations, including media strategy, partnerships and community programmes, while also leveraging his global profile.
“I’ve always been someone who wants to try new things and do things differently – whether it’s how I play, how I express myself, or how I approach life off the pitch,” Pogab said. “That mindset has followed me into my business world too.”
The sport of camel racing
Camel racing is a traditional Middle Eastern sport, believed to date back to the 7th century. It still takes place in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, parts of Africa, Pakistan, Mongolia and Australia.
The sport has many similarities with horse racing, with races held on oval tracks ranging from 4 to 10 km. However, camels aren’t as fast, being able to sprint up to 40 mph and sustain speeds of around 25 mph for an hour.
In recent years, camel racing has attempted to modernise while maintaining some of its cultural roots. Lightweight, remote-controlled robot jockeys replaced child riders in response to human rights concerns.
The sport has also embraced streaming and media, with Netflix releasing a series called Camel Quest in 2024.
These efforts aim to expand the sport’s audience and build excitement around high-stakes events, something horse racing has been trying to do in the UK as of late. Top camels can sell for millions of dollars, and prize pools at competitions like the AlUla Camel Cup can exceed $6m.
Pogba’s influence
Al Haboob aims to grow the sport further with Pogba’s involvement. The former Manchester United midfielder has more than 60 million social media followers and has previously partnered with brands such as Adidas, Gucci, Pepsi and Amazon.
Pogba has spent much of the past two years out of the spotlight, sidelined first by injury, then serving a lengthy ban for a doping violation, alongside a high‑profile personal case. Now back on the pitch, he has signed for Monaco and made three appearances this season
At the moment, Pogba’s aim is to bring global attention to camel racing, but he has also hinted to the BBC he may invest in owning a racing camel of his own in the future.
