Saudi Arabia opens its doors to female athletes and achieves remarkable progress in women’s football
The summit witnessed the presentation of Women’s Leadership Awards to honor individuals and organizations that lead progress, innovation and equality in women’s football, in addition to the Women’s Leadership Gathering in its third edition, which has become an important platform for discussing leadership paths and gender equality.
“We hope this initiative will continue to empower women to lead and influence football at all levels,” said Farkhunda Mohtaj, captain of the Afghanistan women’s national team.
Among this year’s winners is Lina Al-Mayna, president of Jeddah United Club, who expressed her pride in the rapid development of women’s sports in the Kingdom. She added: “We have come a long way in a very short time, as the under-17 girls’ football team participates throughout the Kingdom under the supervision of the Saudi Football Federation, which reflects the speed of development of the game.”
Al-Mayna pointed out that equal opportunities for women are a fundamental pillar of Saudi Vision 2030, stressing that the Ministry of Sports has opened doors for girls and boys in more than 100 federations and committees. She added: “Everything starts from society. Here we find everyday heroes who later rise to the clubs and national teams.”
Elaine Gleeson, an expert in international women’s football, confirmed that emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia are “changing the growth map of women’s football,” noting the importance of long-term investment to ensure the sustainability of the game and protect local players.
These achievements come within the framework of the Kingdom’s efforts to launch a professional women’s league, host international tournaments, expand youth programs, and launch the Women’s Champions League in the region for the first time.
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