The Asian Football Confederation in partnership with NEOM issued “Pioneering Change: Women’s Football in Saudi Arabia,” a report on the rapid development of women’s football in the Kingdom.
Relying on contributions from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the Saudi Ministry of Sport (MoS), the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), the AFC and others, “Pioneering Change: Women’s Football in Saudi Arabia” looks into the steps taken that resulted in the significant increase in participation in women’s football between 2022 and 2023.
NEOM’s press release notes that, “Historic milestones over the past six years include the launch of the Saudi Women’s Premier League and Women’s National team, the appointment of female leaders and obtaining an official FIFA world ranking. Wider key contributing components explored in the report include developmental pathways at grassroots level, the importance of leadership and coaching, investment in infrastructure and accessibility, and commercialization of the sport.”
Looking at developments since 2018, the report highlights a number of achievements:
• Over 70,000 girls are now participating at the grassroots level (a 46% increase year on year in 2023), with more than 1,500 registered players nationwide and the number of professional female players surging by 195 percent,
• The number of regional training centers has expanded from one to six between 2021 and 2023, resulting in a 773% increase in attendance from 22 to 192 young players aged 6-17 years old.
Aalia Abdulaziz al-Rasheed, Head of Women’s Football at SAFF said:
“We started at zero, and today we have a growing ecosystem that includes developing competitive leagues, advancing the Women’s National Team, and building relationships with stakeholders to ensure sustained growth and success. It has been a truly remarkable journey for Saudi women’s football over the last six years… Our mission is simple: we want to inspire and offer new opportunities for girls throughout the country to realize their dreams and showcase their talent and love for the beautiful game. Our journey has inspired millions along the way, not just in Saudi Arabia but across different parts of the world. We are not doing this alone. We are open to the world and are already in 62 active partnerships with federations to co-develop the women’s game and realize its full potential.”
