SAFF officials open world football’s first dedicated Football Research Institute in Riyadh

2025-01-28
18:38:20

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Saudi Arabian Football Federation [SAFF] has officially launched the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Institute of Research [SAFFIR], marking the world's first dedicated Research Institute for Football operated by a Football Federation.

‘SAFFIR’ - translated from Arabic as ambassador – is a symbol for the Institute’s aim to act as a connecting point between researchers, scholars, policy makers and the wider football community as a source of knowledge and insights for the game beyond the pitch.

The first-of-its-kind institute in Riyadh will welcome its first researchers, scholars, football policy makers and lecturers to the site this week, with international researchers from all over the world arriving to begin ground-breaking projects on football and its impact - on and off the pitch.

This initiative is in conjunction with its international partners and governing bodies in FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation [AFC], with the new Research Center offering international researchers a purpose-built environment to conduct studies on different football issues.

At the opening of SAFFIR, Yasser Almisehal, President of Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said: “We are proud to officially open the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Institute of Research, the world’s first football research center to be operated by a football federation.

“The launch of the center represents a significant step in advancing football in The Kingdom, stemming from the unlimited support of wise leadership within the wider sports sector and for the nation’s favourite sport. SAFFIR reflects the increased collaboration between the Asian Football Confederation, FIFA and SAFF in alignment to support the global growth of the game.

“This is a major milestone for the development of Saudi Arabian football and the global game, opening new horizons to expand on research around the sport while supporting the Saudi football transformation in the years to come.”

SAFFIR also serves as a key footballing milestone in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, aimed to inspire the country’s young population to engage with and participate in sport across all levels either on the field of play or as part of the ecosystem that makes events and sporting spectacles happen.