RIYADH: After investing $64 billion in its nascent entertainment industry, Saudi Arabia is launching the first edition of a women’s football league later this month.
Women’s sport was long frowned upon in conservative Saudi Arabia.
But the November 22 launch is part of a programme set up by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation in 2017 to support women’s football.
According to the federation, the new women’s league will be playing in two phases within the regional league.
Sixteen teams will take part in the first phase with games played in three cities — the capital Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.
Six teams from each region will play in the matches, with the exception of Dammam where only four teams will play.
Those who qualify will be able to play in a knockout competition at the Kingdom Final Championship due to be held early next year in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Federation chairman Yasser Almisehal said the creation of a women’s league was “an important moment” for the federation.
This is part of the reforms by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Since taking day-to-day control in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has eased social restrictions and introduced the annual Riyadh Season extravaganza of concerts and events.
Saudi Arabia is investing $64 billion in its nascent entertainment industry to make the kingdom film hub of the Middle East.
The action flick ‘Desert Warrior’, starring Anthony Mackie (Marvel’s new Captain America), is being filmed entirely in Saudi Arabia. Gerard Butler’s latest thriller ‘Kandahar’ is starting principal photography in the Al-Ula region this month — a first for the UNESCO World Heritage Site opened last year as part of Saudi Arabia’s related push to introduce tourism.
