| Date | R | Home v Away | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08/25 18:00 | 3 |
[6] Al Fateh SC v Al-Nassr Riyadh
[16] 
|
0-5 |
| 08/25 18:00 | 3 |
[13] Al Shabab Riyadh v Damac FC
[12] 
|
1-1 |
| 08/25 15:00 | 3 |
[7] Al Feiha v Al Hazm
[17] 
|
0-0 |
| 08/24 18:00 | 3 |
[3] Al Ahli Jeddah v Al Akhdoud
[14] 
|
1-0 |
| 08/24 18:00 | 3 |
[4] Al Ittifaq Dammam v Al Khaleej Saihat
[16] 
|
1-1 |
| 08/24 18:00 | 3 |
[9] Al Riyadh v Al Ittihad Jeddah
[1] 
|
0-4 |
| 08/24 18:00 | 3 |
[18] Al Raed v Al Hilal Riyadh
[5] 
|
0-4 |
| 08/24 15:00 | 3 |
[11] Al Taee v Al Wahda Mecca
[9] 
|
0-3 |
| 08/19 18:00 | 2 |
[6] Al Ittihad Jeddah v Al Taee
[10]
|
2-0 |
| 08/19 18:00 | 2 |
[7] Al Hilal Riyadh v Al Feiha
[8]
|
1-1 |
| 08/19 15:00 | 2 |
[14] Abha v Al Raed
[16]
|
1-0 |
| 08/18 18:00 | 2 |
[16] Al Hazm v Al Ittifaq Dammam
[6]
|
0-2 |
| 08/18 18:00 | 2 |
[14] Al Wahda Mecca v Al Shabab Riyadh
[8]
|
3-1 |
| 08/18 18:00 | 2 |
[13] Al-Nassr Riyadh v Al Taawon Buraidah
[9] 
|
0-2 |
| 08/18 15:00 | 2 |
[11] Al Akhdoud v Al Fateh SC
[10]
|
1-3 |
| 08/17 18:00 | 2 |
[16] Al Khaleej Saihat v Al Ahli Jeddah
[4]
|
1-3 |
| 08/17 15:00 | 2 |
[13] Damac FC v Al Riyadh
[7]
|
2-2 |
| 08/14 18:00 | 1 |
[10] Al Shabab Riyadh v Al Akhdoud
[12]
|
1-1 |
| 08/14 18:00 | 1 |
[11] Al Ittifaq Dammam v Al-Nassr Riyadh
[9]
|
2-1 |
| 08/14 15:00 | 1 |
[12] Al Raed v Al Ittihad Jeddah
[7]
|
0-3 |
| 08/14 15:00 | 1 |
[13] Abha v Al Hilal Riyadh
[9]
|
1-3 |
| 08/13 18:00 | 1 |
[15] Al Riyadh v Al Wahda Mecca
[13]
|
1-0 |
| 08/13 18:00 | 1 |
[9] Al Fateh SC v Al Taawon Buraidah
[8]
|
1-1 |
| 08/12 18:00 | 1 |
[11] Al Feiha v Al Khaleej Saihat
[14]
|
3-1 |
| 08/12 15:00 | 1 |
[10] Al Taee v Damac FC
[9]
|
1-0 |
| 08/11 18:00 | 1 |
[15] Al Ahli Jeddah v Al Hazm
[16]
|
3-1 |
| 05/31 18:00 | 30 |
[2] Al-Nassr Riyadh v Al Fateh SC
[6]
|
3-0 |
| 05/31 18:00 | 30 |
[1] Al Ittihad Jeddah v Al Taee
[8]
|
2-0 |
| 05/31 18:00 | 30 |
[12] Al Wahda Mecca v Al Feiha
[13]
|
0-1 |
| 05/31 18:00 | 30 |
[14] Al Khaleej Saihat v Abha
[11]
|
3-1 |
Teams
Al Raed
Al Ittihad Jeddah
Al Shabab Riyadh
Al-Nassr Riyadh
Al Hilal Riyadh
Al Taawon Buraidah
Al Fateh SC
Al Ahli Jeddah
Al Ittifaq Dammam
Al Wehda Mecca
Al Faisaly Harmah
Al Fayha
Damac FC
Al Batin
Al Khaleej Saihat
Al Qadisiya Al Khubar
Abha
Al Hazm
Al Taee
Al Akhdoud
Al Riyadh
Al Adalh
Al Orubah
Ohod Madinah
Najran SC
Hajer
Al Kholood
Al Ain FC
Al Shoalah
Wikipedia - Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League (SPL), known as the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest division of association football in the Saudi league system.
The first season of competition was the 1976–77 season. The league had been operating as a round-robin tournament from its inaugural season until the 1989–90 season, after that the Saudi Federation decided to merge the football League with the King's Cup in one tournament and the addition of the Golden Box. The Golden Box would be an end of season knockout competition played between the top four teams of the regular league season. These teams would play at a semi-final stage to crown the champions of Saudi Arabia. The league reverted to a round-robin system in the 2007–08 season.
The association is also regularly ranked with the highest coefficient in Asia due to the successful and consistent performances in the AFC Champions League Elite, Asian Super Cup & Asian Cup Winners' Cup by its clubs. Al-Hilal is the most successful team, holding 19 titles in its history and most recently winning the title in 2023–24. Al-Shabab, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr are also some of the most successful teams in the league.
Beginning in 2023, the league started experiencing widespread international exposure due to attracting numerous top level players from European leagues through financially lucrative contracts, immediately becoming a star-studded league. The nation's Public Investment Fund took 75% stakes in four founding members (Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr) in the same year as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 program.
History
Up until the late 1950s, football in Saudi Arabia was organized on a regional basis under the Saudi Regional Leagues, 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.
In 1974, a one-time league was founded to end the regional leagues and decide which clubs would play in the upcoming Premier and first division leagues, the league was the Categorization League, 1976–77 season saw the start of the first-ever Premier 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.[]
In December 1990, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation decided to merge the league with the King's 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, the league has always been the best league in Asia and is nicknamed the Premier League of Asia.
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's 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.
Saudi Football Revolution (2023–)
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. A record-breaking transfer window took place ahead of the 2023–24 season; Saudi Pro League clubs spent close to $1 billion, acquiring 94 overseas players from Europe’s major leagues. These leagues include France’s Ligue 1, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, Germany’s Bundesliga and the English Premier League, according to Deloitte. According to Spanish publication the league has "shaken up the European transfer market".
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. 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.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first star signing to the league, with the BBC deeming that he led this "revolution" in Asian football. Upon his move to Al-Hilal, Neymar also credited Ronaldo for the immediate transformation of the league. 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.
The tournament features a dynamic format where teams compete in a round-robin style, with each club playing home and away matches against every other team. The league typically runs from August to May, culminating in an exciting climax as clubs vie for the coveted championship title. The top-performing teams not only earn the honor of being crowned league champions but also secure qualification for prestigious continental competitions, such as the AFC Champions League.
The Saudi Arabia Pro League is known for its passionate fan base, vibrant stadium atmospheres, and significant investment in football infrastructure. In recent years, the league has gained international attention, with high-profile signings and partnerships that have elevated its global profile. The tournament serves as a platform for emerging talent and a showcase for established stars, making it a thrilling spectacle for football enthusiasts both in the region and around the world.
With a commitment to promoting the sport and enhancing the overall experience for fans, the Saudi Arabia Pro League continues to evolve, contributing to the growth of football in the Kingdom and beyond.