Prince of Wales visits the Regional Girls’ Riyadh Training Center

2026-02-10
20:00:36

The training session for players from the Regional Girls’ Riyadh Training Center at Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk) was one of the key stops during His Royal Highness Prince William’s official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During his discussions with Ms. Lamia Bahaian, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales observed first-hand the rapid progress of women’s football in the Kingdom.
Over the past five years, this growth has been driven by the establishment of five national teams (Senior, Futsal, U20, U17, and U15) and the launch of 10 competitions, including the Saudi Women’s Premier League, which features 50 international players from 20 different nationalities competing for Saudi clubs.
“With the leadership of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and HRH the Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Vision 2030 has been serious about creating opportunities to develop women’s sports across the country,” said Bahaian.
“I still remember in 2021, when we first announced tryouts to scout girls’ talent. The Minister of Sports personally attended and supervised the session.
“Since then, we have gone from milestone to milestone. Like the school leagues for girls. Today we have 77,000 players taking part. Only five years ago that number was zero.”
Additional milestones include the establishment of six Regional Girls’ Training Centers across the Kingdom, welcoming girls aged six to 15, as well as the training of more than 35 referees and over 1,000 qualified coaches, and the registration of 1,800 players.
These initiatives are delivered within an inclusive framework that ensures pay parity in allowances and accommodation for female and male players, along with equal access to training facilities and equipment. This reflects the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s commitment to player development and the enhancement of technical performance, and aligns with the Kingdom’s mandate to advance and strengthen the female sports sector.
During the session, HRH Prince William met with the young players, offering words of encouragement and advice. He also engaged with the technical and administrative staff in a warm and friendly atmosphere, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sport.