Women's Competitions Updates for 24/25Season

2024-06-12
18:46:57

The Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has approved a series of updates to the eligibility of players participating in women's competitions, starting from the next sports season 2024-2025, with the aim of developing women's competitions and raising the level of competition in the Premier League, First Division League, Second Division League, Saudi Women's Federation Cup, Federation Championship for Juniors and Futsal Championship.
The updates to the Women's Premier League include reducing the number of players on the main squad of teams from 30 to 25, reducing the number of non-Saudi players registered on the main roster from 7 to 6 without specific criteria, with the exception of one player according to specific technical criteria, in addition to increasing the number of non-Saudi players on the field from 4 to 5, and each team has the right to register two players born in 2004 or later and allow one of them to participate on the field, in addition to obligating clubs to sign a minimum of 15 professional contracts with Saudi players to develop the league and pave the way for its transfer to the professional stage in the future.
The updates to the Saudi Federation Cup Championship came by specifying the number of 4 non-Saudi players and one player born on the field to give more space to national talents and contribute to building a competitive national team.
The updates to the First Division League included reducing the number of main rosters for teams from 30 to 25 players, obligating teams to register a Saudi or native goalkeeper (born in 2004 or later), in addition to allowing the registration of two female players born in 2004 or later, and allowing one of them to participate on the field, in addition to obligating clubs to sign a minimum of 10 professional contracts with Saudi female players, in order to contribute to the development of the league and prepare clubs in the event of promotion to the Premier League.
In the Second Division League, which is being held in its first edition with the new season, the number of 25 players was determined in the main roster as is the case in the Premier League and the First Division League, in addition to determining the number of 4 non-Saudi female players in the team roster, provided that they are residents or natives.
In the Saudi Federation Championship for Junior Women, which was launched at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season, the registration of 30 players in the team list was approved, and its system was modified by increasing the number of players participating on the field to become a league played with a system of 11 against 11 players after it was played with a system of 9 against 9 last season.
These decisions came after coordination with the Football Development Strategy, the Technical Director of the Saudi Football Federation, the departments of the women's national teams, competitions, professionalism, and player status.