NEWCASTLE UNITED'S home stadium will host two international friendlies featuring Saudi Arabia next month.

St James' Park will stage Saudi Arabia's friendly fixture against Costa Rica on Friday, September 8 (8pm) as well as the Middle Eastern nation's game against South Korea on Tuesday, September 12 (5.30pm).

The games will further strengthen the link between Newcastle and Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi PIF owning an 80 per cent stake in the Magpies.

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The head of the PIF, Yasir al-Rumayyan, is also Newcastle's chairman, and the club have staged a warm-weather training camp in Saudi Arabia since Amanda Staveley's Saudi-backed consortium completed their buyout of Mike Ashley a year-and-a-half ago.

The Saudi Arabian national team caused a huge shock when they beat Argentina at last year's World Cup finals in Qatar, and their two games on Tyneside will form part of their preparations for the AFC Asian Cup, which takes place in Qatar in January 2024.

Tickets for the two friendly games are onsale now at book.nufc.co.uk, priced at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions (plus 50p booking fee per ticket).