São Paulo – Saudi sports authorities created the Women’s Football League (WFL), the government-run Saudi Sports for All Federation said this week.
“The launch of the [league] bolsters women’s participation in sports at the community level and will generate increased recognition for women’s sports achievements,” a press release read.
The winning team will get a SAR 500,000 (USD 133,000) prize. The matches will be played by athletes aged 17 and above in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. The schedule is not out yet.
The Federation said “technical and organizational teams in place to manage the various committees working towards delivering the League” will also be fully female.
This marks a new step forward for Saudi Arabian women, who were first let into football stadiums and sports arenas in January 2018.
The Kingdom is now working to increase women’s engagement with sports. Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is ushering in a bevy of reforms under the Vision 2030 project, including concert permits, the reopening of movie theaters and driving licenses for women.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum