Saudi Pro League

Up until the late 1950s, football in Saudi Arabia was organized on a regional basis, with the King's Cup being the only nationwide tournament. In 1957, the first qualification process consolidated the regional tournaments of the Central, West, East, and North regions. Clubs competed in their regional leagues to qualify for the King's Cup, which was the final stage of the competition. The winner of the King's Cup was not the league winner.^[2]

1976 saw the start of the first-ever professional football league in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with eight teams, the following season the number of clubs increased to ten. The 1981–82 season saw the merger of both the Saudi Premier League and the Saudi First Division for that season exclusively to the concern of the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. Twenty teams were divided into two groups, A and B. The top two in each group would enter a semi-final stage to determine the overall champions. In the following season which reverted to regular round-robin competition, the number of first-division clubs was later increased to 12 in the 1984–85 season.^{[citation needed]}

In December 1990, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation decided to merge the league with the King Cup in one tournament, it was decided to revamp local competitions and introduce professional football. A new league championship was formed called "The Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques League Cup", which was a two-stage championship. The first stage was a regular double round-robin league competition with the top 4 qualifying for the final knockout stage, called the golden box. Clubs were allowed to sign players on a professional basis making the league semi-professional. This system lasted for seventeen seasons before reverting to a regular round-robin competition. The league became fully professional in 2007.^[3]

As of 2024, depending on the nation's coefficient, three teams from Saudi Arabia qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite annually. This includes the top three positions of the league, the winner of the King Cup qualify for the AFC Champions League Two. If the winner of the King Cup is also among the top three teams then the fourth-best team qualifies for the AFC Champions League Two.

The Saudi Pro League made international headlines in 2023 due to many players from other leagues, particularly those in Europe, transferring to clubs for the 2023–24 season. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first star signing to the league, with the BBC deeming that he led this "revolution" in Asian football.^[4] Upon his move to Al-Hilal, Neymar also credited Ronaldo for the immediate transformation of the league.^[5] Other players who joined the league include Ballon d'Or-holder Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kanté, Roberto Firmino, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez and Jordan Henderson.^[6][7] According to Spanish publication Marca the league has "shaken up the European transfer market".^[8] The nation's Public Investment Fund took 75% stakes in four founding members (Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr) in June 2023 as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 program.^[9] These actions have been criticised by many sporting journalists and human rights activists, who have described the transfers as part of a sportswashing scheme by the Saudi government.^[6][10]

From the 2009–10 season until the 2012-13 season, the league was sponsored by Zain Group and was known as "Zain league".^[11] From the 2013–14 season until the 2017–18 season, Abdul Latif Jameel was the sponsor and the league was known as "Jameel league", from the 2018–19 season until the 2021-22 season major restructuring of Saudi football, under which the league's name reverted to the "Saudi Pro League".^[12][11][13] From the 2022–23 season, for a five-year period, the sponsor of the league is Roshn and the league is known as "Roshn Saudi League", Roshn is a real estate division of the Public Investment Fund.^[14]

• No Sponsorship (1974–2008)
• Zain Group Pro league (2009–2013)
• Abdul Latif Jameel Pro league (2014–2017)
• No Sponsorship (2018–2021)
• Roshn Saudi league (2022–present)

There are 18 clubs in the Saudi Pro League. During the course of a season (usually from August to May) each club plays the other clubs twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for 34 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by position on the league table depending on points, then the head-to-head record between the tied teams is taken into consideration, and then goal difference.^{[citation needed]}

A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Saudi Pro League and Saudi First Division League. The three lowest-placed teams in the Saudi Pro League are relegated to the First Division, in the first division the top two teams are promoted to the Pro League directly, a play-off system to determine the third team to be promoted alongside the two. Teams placed between third and sixth position took part in the promotion play-offs. The fifth-placed would face the fourth, while the sixth-placed team would face the third. The final would be single-legged, hosted by the higher-placed team.

Al-Ahli
Al-Ittihad

Al-Ettifaq

Al-Fateh

Al-Fayha

Al-Hilal
Al-Nassr
Al-Riyadh
Al-Shabab

Al-Khaleej

Al-Kholood

Al-Okhdood

Al-Orobah

Al-Qadsiah

Al-Raed
Al-Taawoun

Al-Wehda

Damac

class=notpageimage|

Locations of teams in the 2024–25 Saudi Professional League

Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

Team	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
Al-Ahli	Matthias Jaissle	Roberto Firmino	Adidas	Red Sea Global, Neoleap, SIRC, Urpay1, Kayanee1, Qaid2, Saudi German Hospital2, Vveyon3
Al-Ettifaq	Steven Gerrard	Georginio Wijnaldum	Tempo Sport	Hongqi, Kammelna, Aldyar Alarabiya, Tameeni, Procare Hospital1, Qaid2, Direct2
Al-Fateh	Slaven Bilić	Mohammed Al-Fuhaid	100°	Al-Jabr Finance, Fuschia, Tameeni, Al Kifah Holding1, Malakan1, Direct2, Skkah2
Al-Fayha	Vuk Rašović	Sami Al-Khaibari	Skillano	Afaq Al Arabya, Tameeni, Tasooma, Al Tazaj1, Aromatic1, Mashar Water1, Soum2, Reefi2, Summer Holidays3
Al-Hilal	Jorge Jesus	Salman Al-Faraj	Puma	Savvy, Jahez, Riyad Bank1, Seven1, Floward2, Sanabil Investments2
Al-Ittihad	TBA	Ahmed Hegazy	Nike	Roshn, SRJ Sports Investments, Nua1
Al-Khaleej	Pedro Emanuel	Fábio Martins	Laser	Yelo, Tameeni, Mezaj, Shemagh Al Bassam1, Locate1, Reefi1, Qaid2
Al-Kholood	Fabiano Flora	Tareq Al-Kaebi	In-House	Yelo, Wav Water2
Al-Nassr	Luís Castro	Cristiano Ronaldo	Adidas	KAFD, AROYA Cruises, Noug2
Al-Okhdood	Noureddine Zekri	Hussain Al-Zabdani	Skillano	Najran Cement, Tameeni, Florina1, Abdal1, Qaid2
Al-Qadsiah	Míchel	TBA	Macron
Al-Orobah	Rusmir Cviko	Rafea Al-Ruwaili	Offside	Yelo
Al-Raed	Igor Jovićević	Mohamed Fouzair	Challenge	Alajlan Riviera, Tameeni, Dinar, Al Tazaj1, Al Qassim National Hospital1, Peanut Butter & Co.2, Qaid2
Al-Riyadh	Odair Hellmann	Knowledge Musona	Zeus	Yelo, Direct, Al Saif, Shumou Investment1, AlDakheel Oud1, Wataniya Finance1, Mothhelah2, Wav Water3
Al-Shabab	Vítor Pereira	TBA	Offside	Diaar, Tameeni, Ego1, Almanea1, NOB Agency2, Wosul3
Al-Taawoun	TBA	Aschraf El Mahdioui	Macron	GREE, Aldyar Alarabiya, Mothhelah, Tameeni, Khadeer Tea1, Alnadeg1, Hayat National Hospital1, Suom2, Abdal2, Dr Nutrition3
Al-Wehda	TBA	Waleed Bakshween	Offside	Yelo, Tameeni, NTAM1, Qaid2, Makkah Medical Center2
Damac	Cosmin Contra	Farouk Chafaï	Skillano	Basic Electronics, Tameeni, Reefi, Hayat National Hospital1, Bin Thaliba1, AlBayt AlRomancy1, Qaid2

• ¹ On the back of the strip.
• ² On the right sleeve of the strip.
• ³ On the shorts.

Team	Outgoing manager	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Position in table	Incoming manager	Date of appointment
Al-Kholood	Fabiano Flora	End of contract	1 June 2024	Pre-season	Paulo Duarte	21 June 2024[22]
Al-Taawoun	Péricles Chamusca
Al-Wehda	Georgios Donis
Al-Khaleej	Pedro Emanuel	Resigned	23 June 2024[23]

As of 2024, 38 clubs have participated in the Saudi football top division.

Only three clubs didn't get relegated,  Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad.

Note: The tallies below include up to the 2024–25 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.^{[citation needed]}

As of matches played 23 May 2024^[24][25]

Boldface indicates a player still active in the Pro League.

Rank	Player	Goals	Apps	Ratio	First	Last	Club(s)
1	Majed Abdullah	189	194	0.97	1977	1997	Al-Nassr
2	Nasser Al-Shamrani	167	301	0.55	2003	2019	Al-Wehda, Al-Shabab, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad
3	Omar Al Somah	144	180	0.80	2014	2022	Al-Ahli
4	Abderrazak Hamdallah	129	137	0.94	2018	2024	Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad
5	Fahd Al-Hamdan	120	252	0.48	1984	2000	Al-Riyadh
6	Yasser Al-Qahtani	112	206	0.54	2000	2018	Al-Qadsiah, Al-Hilal
7	Mohammad Al-Sahlawi	111	257	0.43	2005	2022	Al-Qadsiah, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun
8	Sami Al-Jaber	101	268	0.38	1988	2007	Al-Hilal
9	Hamzah Idris	96	–	–	1992	2007	Ohod, Al-Ittihad
10	Obeid Al-Dosari	91	–	–	1996	2005	Al-Wehda, Al-Ahli

Season	Nat.	Top scorer(s)	Club(s)	Goals
1974–75		Mohammad S. Abdeli	Al-Nassr	13
1976–77		Nasser Eid	Al-Qadsiah	7
1977–78		Motamad Khojali	Al-Ahli	14
1978–79		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	18
1979–80		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	17
1980–81		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	21
1981–82		Khalid Al-Ma'ajil	Al-Shabab	22
1982–83		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	14
1983–84		Hussam Abu Dawood	Al-Ahli	14
1984–85		Hathal Dosari	Al-Hilal	15
1985–86		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	15
1986–87		Mohammad Suwaidi	Al-Ittihad	17
1987–88		Khalid Al-Ma'ajil	Al-Shabab	12
1988–89		Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	19
1989–90		Sami Al-Jaber	Al-Hilal	16
1990–91		Fahad Al-Mehallel	Al-Shabab	20
1991–92		Saeed Al-Owairan	Al-Shabab	16
1992–93		Sami Al-Jaber	Al-Hilal	18
1993–94		Moussa N'Daw	Al-Hilal	15
1994–95		Fahd Al-Hamdan	Al-Riyadh	15
1995–96		Ohene Kennedy	Al-Nassr	14
1996–97		Ahmed Bahja	Al-Ittihad	21
1997–98		Sulaiman Al-Hadaithy	Al-Najma	15
1998–99		Obeid Al-Dosari	Al-Wehda	20
1999–00		Hamzah Idris	Al-Ittihad	33
2000–01		Paulo da Silva	Al-Ettifaq	13
2001–02		Diene Faye	Al-Riyadh	10
2002–03		Carlos Tenorio	Al-Nassr	15
2003–04		Godwin Attram Kandia Traoré	Al-Shabab Al-Hilal	15
2004–05		Mohammed Manga	Al-Shabab	15
2005–06		Essa Al-Mehyani	Al-Wehda	16
2006–07		Godwin Attram	Al-Shabab	13
2007–08		Nasser Al-Shamrani	Al-Shabab	18
2008–09		Nasser Al-Shamrani Hicham Aboucherouane	Al-Shabab Al-Ittihad	12
2009–10		Mohammad Al-Shalhoub	Al-Hilal	12
2010–11		Nasser Al-Shamrani	Al-Shabab	17
2011–12		Nasser Al-Shamrani Victor Simões	Al-Shabab Al-Ahli	21
2012–13		Sebastián Tagliabué	Al-Shabab	19
2013–14		Nasser Al-Shamrani	Al-Hilal	21
2014–15		Omar Al Somah	Al-Ahli	22
2015–16		Omar Al Somah	Al-Ahli	27
2016–17		Omar Al Somah	Al-Ahli	24
2017–18		Ronnie Fernández	Al-Fayha	13
2018–19		Abderrazak Hamdallah	Al-Nassr	34
2019–20		Abderrazak Hamdallah	Al-Nassr	29
2020–21		Bafétimbi Gomis	Al-Hilal	24
2021–22		Odion Ighalo	Al-Hilal	24
2022–23		Abderrazak Hamdallah	Al-Ittihad	21
2023–24		Cristiano Ronaldo	Al-Nassr	35

• Most Golden boots : Majed Abdullah (6)
• Most Goals scored in a single season : Cristiano Ronaldo (35)

As of 18 June, 2024

Country	Broadcaster	Ref.
Middle East and North Africa	Shahid Saudi Sports Company	[26]
Austria	DAZN	[27]
Belgium
Canada
Germany
Ireland
United Kingdom
Australia	10 Play	[28]
Balkans	Sport Klub	[26]
Brazil	Paramount+
	Canal GOAT
Caribbean	DSports
South America
China	Bilibili Migu TV Tencent Zhibo8
France	Canal+	[29]
Greece	Cosmote Sport	[26]
Hungary	Spíler TV	[30]
India	Sony Sports Network	[31]
Italy	La7
	Sportitalia
Israel	Sport 5
Japan	Abema
Myanmar	Sky Net	[32]
Portugal	Sport TV	[33]
Romania	Prima Sport	[34]
South Korea	SPOTV	[35]
Hong Kong
South East Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa	StarTimes Sports	[36]
Spain	Marca.com	[37]
Turkey	S Sport	[38]
	TV8.5
United States	Fox Sports	[39]
Vietnam	VieON	[40]

• Saudi Arabian Football Federation
• King Cup
• Saudi Super Cup
• Saudi Crown Prince Cup
• Saudi Founder's Cup
• Saudi Federation Cup
• List of football stadiums in Saudi Arabia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saudi Pro League.

• Official website
• MBS League SAFF
• Saudi Pro League Statistics
• Saudi Pro League Commission (in Arabic)
• Abdul Latif Jameel League (in Arabic)
• Saudi Arabia Football Federation at FIFA.com
• Saudi Arabia – List of Champions at RSSSF.com
• Saudi Pro League summary at Soccerway