( CNN ) In a bid to put Middle Eastern countries on the map , its businesses are putting their names on football shirts . As the region 's nations establish themselves as sporting powers , countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have pumped millions into sponsoring football clubs . A report published by Repucom states that in 2014 alone , brands from the UAE spent $ 163 million on shirt sponsorship deals . It 's a level of spending matched by Qatar , with companies from the gulf kingdom investing an average of $ 49.1m on each shirt deal it makes with European football clubs . According to professor Simon Chadwick from the University of Coventry , Qatar 's bid to establish global prominence through football is similar to the U.S. establishing itself within the technology industry . `` In the case of Qatar , its 2030 Industrial Vision has sport as a fundamental pillar of its strategic development as a nation , '' he told CNN . `` Just as the United States , through Silicon Valley , has positioned itself at the heart of the global IT industry , so sport is being used in the same way by emerging nations . '' The Middle East has enjoyed a rapid rise within the world of football , aided by Qatar 's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup . Football has now become a booming business in the region , but investors are tending to hand money to European clubs , not their own . The Middle East has spent $ 1.5bn on acquiring stakes in European football clubs and billionaires from the region have purchased Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain , helping to transform the English and French champions into European powerhouses . Whilst these investments provide much needed financial stability for these clubs , they are also muscling out local sponsorship . It 's becoming more and more likely that European clubs will be owned by wealthy foreigners rather than local companies who have been hit hard by the global financial crisis . Qatar and UAE weathered the economic downturn thanks to the oil industry , so are now set to lead expensive deals in the football world -- and not just for the love of the game .
Qatar and UAE 's achievements make them big names in football . The Middle East has spent $ 1.5billion on European football . Is this the next Silicon Valley ?