The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled that Saudi Arabia is behind a pirate satellite TV and streaming service that offers illegal access to sporting events including the Premier League.

The WTO’s ruling is said to have put Newcastle United’s takeover by crown prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman in serious doubt. Over the last few years a number of football federations including UEFA have tried to take legal action for illegally streaming football matches but a multiple of legal firms have declined to take on the copyright case.

Every new takeover bid of a football club in the Premier League must pass a ‘Owners’ and Directors’ test’. Laws that are broken overseas that are laws in the UK can mean a failed test. Of course the allegations of a link between Mohammed bin Salman and beoutQ who are illegally streaming games have been denied by both the country and the prince.

The Daily Mails Craig Hope gave the Toon Army a glimmer of hope when tweeting that his “sources maintain” that those involved in the Magpies’ takeover – namely crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and governor of the public investment fund Yasir Al-Rumayyan – have “no ability to influence or fix” the issue of piracy in the country.