Watch: Wembley turns green as Saudi Arabia national anthem played at Joshua vs Dubois

The Saudi Arabia national anthem played before Anthony Joshua’s defeat to Daniel Dubois in bizarre scenes at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.

The fight was staged under the Kingdom’s Riyadh Season promotional banner with Turki Alalshik, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Entertainment Authority, in attendance.

Alalshikh entered the ring after both fighters’ ring-walks and while 96,000 people waited in anticipation for the night’s main event to start, the national anthem of Saudi Arabia was played before God Save The King.

In quite the contrast to Liam Gallagher’s three-song set of Oasis hits moments earlier, Wembley was lit up in the green colours of the Saudi flag as singer Rashid Al-Majed serenaded the silent crowd.

The Saudi anthem has been played previously at boxing fights staged in the country, such as Joshua’s bouts against Francis Ngannou, Otto Wallin, Oleksandr Usyk and Andy Ruiz Jr as well as Tyson Fury and Usyk’s undisputed contest. This, however, was the first time the Saudi promotion had been brought to the UK.

‘Live as the pride of the Muslims’

The anthem consists of lyrics which include ‘To glory and supremacy’ and ‘Live as the pride of the Muslims’ when translated from Arabic.

People on social media hit out at the decision to play the national anthem with one description calling the move “embarrassing”.

One wrote: “If you ever want to see how far boxing has sold out, look no further than Wembley tonight, where two English boxers, who are fighting in the capital of England, in front of 90,000 English people... are currently listening to the Saudi national anthem.”

Another added: “As if the Saudi Arabian branding all over the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight wasn’t mad enough, playing the Saudi Arabian national anthem at Wembley before the fight is absolutely insane. Sportswashing at its worst.”