The Rise Of The Saudi Pro League

In modern-day football, it is very difficult to ignore the rapid growth of the SPL, changing and shaping the game’s dynamics off the pitch. The league has skyrocketed to heights that would never have been expected, with impacts that can affect the beautiful game’s development.

Whether you want to discover more about the league’s history and growth or add the SPL to your matched betting strategies, we will be covering all there is to know about the infamous Saudi Pro League.

The Origins

Football in Saudi Arabia wasn’t a popular sport until around the 1830s when it began to spread, forming small local clubs that would host games against each other. This caused the formation of regional tournaments. It wasn’t until 1956 that the Saudi Football Federation was founded, allowing a base for the sport to become a professional and monitored format. The first official cup competition in Saudi Arabia came in 1957, known as the King’s Cup, which built up the competition and brought fans to enjoy the dramatic and competitive nature of the sport. 1976 was the year that the Saudi Pro League was formed in an attempt to elevate the sport even more in the country whilst gaining international attention. The league consisted of 8 teams playing only 14 games in a season, but it was beneficial in kickstarting the growth of the league.

Key Clubs And Players Before The Trend

The oldest club in the SPL is Al Ittihad, formed in 1927, right at the start of the popularity and growth of football. This encouraged teams to form not just in the local area but around the country, helping to build tournaments and create fixtures, building rivalries and stimulating growth for more fans nationwide. During the early days of the league, there wasn’t too much foreign involvement in terms of players and managers, allowing new Saudi Arabian prospects to take centre stage and make a name for themselves. One of the key players who not only helped inspire the growth of fans in Saudi football but also put Saudi football on the map with his international performances. Al Jaber played the majority of his career in the SPL with Al Hilal, with a singular loan spell at Wolves in the year 2000. He registered 270 appearances in the league and 155 at an international level, making him a legend in Saudi football. Not only was he an extremely talented player, but he continued in the league as a manager of 3 different clubs, showing his dedication to the league, making him a big figure when we talk about creation and rising in attention. Jaber’s team, Al Hilal, are the most successful club in the history of the league thanks to his efforts and remains a huge part of the league. Some other players who boosted Saudi football’s exposure include Al-Qahtani, Al-Deayaa and Al-Shamrani.

The Rise Of The League

It wasn’t until 2023 that the growth we are witnessing now came to light. The growth began after a very important transfer was completed of arguably the best player that has ever graced the game, Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo joined a relatively strong Al Nassr side, which was relatively controversial at the time. It is no secret that sports are becoming a huge part of modern-day culture in Saudi Arabia, however, the involvement of such high sums of money and large paychecks to foreign players had football fans against the financial advantage that the nation has.

Ronaldo’s legacy and influence led other players to want high wages, a luxurious lifestyle, and relatively less demanding football. The players who ventured over to Saudi Arabia, however, were all at a point in time when their careers were slowing down, and they were not as high-performing as they once were. Some of these big-name transfers included Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema to Al Ittihad, Liverpool midfield duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho moving to Al Etifq and Al Ittihad, Chelsea midfielder N’golo Kante also to Al Ittihad, Barcelona and PSG legend Neymar to Al Hilal and a Liverpool Fan favourite Sadio Mané joining Ronaldo at Al Nassr from Bayern Munich. The large influx of players drew media attention, and football fans across the globe began to talk about the league, making it the most popular it has ever been.

The growth of the league can be attributed to the large number of big-name players brought to the league, the high wage possibilities, and the luxury lifestyle available to the players.

Is The League Ready For A Global Stage?

The league has recently been allowed to qualify for the Asian Champions League as a result of its growth, with the top spot securing group stage and runners-up securing qualifiers. Despite this being a massive step in the progression of the league, the competition doesn’t have the global attention that the UEFA Champions League has. Another issue with the league, which makes it unready for a global stage, is the lack of atmosphere and fans in the majority of teams. The average attendance of the league games is around 9,000, and when put into perspective, it is roughly the same as the English League 1 (The 3rd tier of English football). A further issue that is noticeable is the gap in quality and size in clubs. When we think of the Saudi Pro League, we think of the likes of Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Nassr, however, mid-table clubs like Al Fayah don't have as much exposure and funding, resulting in an average attendance of 1,400, drastically lower than Al Hilal’s 33,000. This highlights the massive inequalities in the league, making the competition a lot less entertaining and dramatic, damaging how the league is viewed in other countries.

What Does The Future Hold

With the World Cup being hosted by the nation in 2034 and new stadium plans announced, it looks promising for the future of the Saudi Pro League with even more funding and exposure that can further grow the league and reputation. As for the big player name signings, they will more than likely continue if the wages remain the same, with the most recent major signings being Ivan Toney to Al Ahli from Brentford, Jhon Duran from Aston Villa to Al Nassr, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining Al Qadsiah from Marseille. Saudi football shows no sign of slowing down in growth, especially with the World Cup preparations beginning as soon as 2026.