The Rise of Saudi Women’s Football

Three years ago, women’s football in Saudi Arabia was just starting to find its footing. Today, it’s rewriting the playbook. Since 2022, the number of registered professional players has surged by nearly 200%.

At the professional level, Riyadh's Al-Nassr continue to set the standard, having just claimed their third consecutive Saudi Women’s Premier League title. Their Moroccan forward, Ibtissam Jraïdi, has become the face of this rise as the league’s top scorer.

Meanwhile, Al-Ahli have carved their own legacy in the SAFF Women’s Cup, lifting the trophy for the second year in a row.

But perhaps the most inspiring part of this story isn’t happening in the stadiums. It’s in the schools, the parks, and the grassroots fields across the Kingdom.

The Saudi Schools League has expanded dramatically, with over 70,000 girls now competing nationwide—up from 48,000 just a year ago. Even Regional Training Centres have grown from one to six.

Then there are the programs changing how young girls see what’s possible. NEOM’s Shuhub Community Football Program has already reached more than 10,000 children, and international initiatives like Visa’s 'She’s Next in Football', in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank and AC Milan Women, are taking that ambition global. This year’s winners, Fatima Alsenan and Zainab Alhomidi, are set to train with AC Milan’s official academy—a milestone that would’ve been unimaginable just a few years ago.

Behind this wave of progress stands a serious commitment. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) recently pledged 49.9 million Riyals to continue building the women’s game—from infrastructure and coaching to professional pathways.

And if the past three years are any indication, the next chapter of Saudi women’s football won’t just be about participation—it will be about inspiration, with little girls watching matches and seeing not just a dream, but a clear path forward.