Since girls had been permitted to attend soccer matches in 2018, the game has seen some extraordinary milestones. The in-depth exploration charts the game’s current successes and discusses its position in societal transformation, according to Saudi Imaginative and prescient 2030.
As Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, says: “This report is our method of really understanding the panorama – the place we’re, what obstacles lie forward and the way the longer term might look. However it’s about extra than simply soccer. It’s about offering extra alternatives for girls and demonstrating the far-reaching influence that sport can have on people and communities.”
The message that comes out of the report is that it is a strategic and collaborative effort, from grassroot stage all the best way to elite, that’s creating a robust momentum.
Change starting on the grassroots stage
On the coronary heart of this progress is grassroots growth. The Women’ Faculties League stands out, with over 70,000 feminine members in 2023 – a 46 per cent year-on-year enhance. These initiatives feed instantly into group {and professional} membership pipelines, guaranteeing a steady stream of expertise.
With six regional coaching centres and nationwide competitions just like the SAFF Girls’s Cup, alternatives for feminine gamers to showcase and hone their abilities have multiplied. These efforts are bettering accessibility throughout Saudi Arabia’s huge geography.
Management and coaching programmes
Function fashions and management have additionally been key to progress. Worldwide figures like Monika Staab and Lluis Cortes have introduced experience and visibility to the game, whereas Saudi pioneers like Dona Rajab embody what’s achievable. Coaching applications, together with over 50 teaching programs, have developed a brand new technology of leaders. That’s resulted in an ecosystem of over 1,000+ coaches and 35 feminine referees.
Creating pathways for future stars
With professionalisation as a cornerstone of its technique, Saudi Arabia is quickly enhancing its participant pathways and leagues. Registered gamers have surged to over 1,500, with 195 per cent development in skilled gamers in recent times. This growth extends to the SAFF Girls’s Premier League, which now attracts worldwide gamers from 20 nationalities, showcasing the Kingdom’s capacity to compete on the worldwide stage.
In the meantime NEOM’s efforts to determine elite competitions, coupled with elevated visibility by agreements with broadcasters like SSC and DAZN, underline the game’s industrial potential. Certainly, industrial offers with international manufacturers like Lay’s and Rexona spotlight the game’s marketability, creating new income streams and broadening its enchantment.
Social influence begins to flywheel
The report additionally reveals how girls’s soccer in Saudi Arabia has emerged as a cultural power, selling more healthy existence, gender equality, and nationwide satisfaction. Campaigns like #SeeUsPlay have efficiently mobilized communities to embrace the game, driving elevated viewership each in stadiums and on-line.
While the journey of ladies’s soccer in Saudi Arabia has solely simply begun, the trajectory is evident. The mixture of grassroots initiatives, skilled leagues, infrastructure funding, and visionary management positions the Kingdom as a future chief within the sport.
Jan Paterson captures this optimism: “NEOM Sport’s progressive method supplies alternatives for all. By elevating the profile of ladies’s soccer, we’re fostering a tradition of empowerment and paving the best way for future generations.”
The complete report is on the market right here. For extra data, contact [email protected].
