The Saudi Arabia women's national football team (Arabic: المنتخب السعودي لكرة القدم للسيدات) is the official women's national football team of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The team is controlled by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the governing body for football in Saudi Arabia.
 | |||
| Nickname(s) | الصقور الخضر (The Green Falcons) الصقور العربية (The Arabian Falcons) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Saudi Arabian Football Federation | ||
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | ||
| Sub-confederation | WAFF (West Asia) | ||
| Head coach | Lluís Cortés | ||
| Captain | Bayan Sadagah | ||
| Most caps | Lana Abdulrazak Sara Al-Hamad Bayan Sadagah (22) | ||
| Top scorer | Al Bandari Mobarak (10) | ||
| FIFA code | KSA | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 166  8 (13 December 2024)[1] | ||
| Highest | 166 (December 2024) | ||
| Lowest | 175 (December 2023 – June 2024) | ||
| First international | |||
 Saudi Arabia 2–0 Seychelles  (Malé, Maldives, 20 February 2022) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
Saudi Arabia 4–0 Laos  (Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 29 October 2024) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 Andorra 3–0 Saudi Arabia (Girona, Spain, 17 June 2023) | |||
Colloquially called "the Green Falcons", Saudi Arabia played their first match in 2022 against the Seychelles in a 2–0 win in a friendly tournament in the Maldives.
History
edit
Background
editDue to the influence of religious leaders in Saudi Arabia, active opposition of political leaders and sport administrators, and systematic discrimination against women's sport, a women's national team could not exist for a long time.[2] The creation of a FIFA-recognised women's national team was banned by law in 2008.[3] Systemic discrimination remained intact despite limited reforms, until the death of King Abdullah in 2015.[4]
With King Salman's ascension to the throne in 2015, talks about football reforms escalated. However, his son Mohammed bin Salman was the first to spearhead the reforms, including to women's football.[5] Saudi Arabia allowed women to attend football games since 2017, the first step for a future creation of a women's football team.[6]
In December 2019, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) organised the first unofficial women's competition in the Jeddah area.[7] An official nationwide tournament, the amateur Saudi Women's Football League, was launched in February 2020, concentrated in three big cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.[8] Following the creation of the league, calls for a creation of a women's national team increased.[9]
Inception
editOn 11 August 2021, the SAFF appointed Monika Staab as head coach of the newly established women's national team.[10] Saudi Arabia played their first games in February 2022, taking part in a friendly tournament in Malé, Maldives.[11] They debuted on 20 February, beating Seychelles in a 2–0 win.[12] Following the successful debut, Lamia Bin Bahian, a board member of the SAFF, revealed a long-term plan to allow the team to participate in the first FIFA Women's World Cup in the next ten years, with the aim to become a dominant force in the Gulf, West Asia, and Asian level.[13]
Results and fixtures
editThe following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
- Legend
Win Draw Lose Fixture
2024
edit| 8 January 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 |  Syria | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 18:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: King Abdullah Sports City |
| 12 January 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 3–0 | Syria | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 18:00 UTC+3 | Report |
|
Referee: Doumouh Al Bakkar (Lebanon) |
| 19 February 2024 2024 WAFF Women's Championship | Saudi Arabia | 1–3 |  Jordan | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 20:00 UTC+3 |
|
Report | Stadium: King Abdullah Sports City Referee: Mohamed Juma (Bahrain) |
| 21 February 2024 2024 WAFF Women's Championship | Lebanon  | 3–2 | Saudi Arabia | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 20:00 UTC+3 | Report |
|
Stadium: King Abdullah Sports City Reserve Stadium Referee: Ahmed Gatea (Iraq) |
| 23 February 2024 2024 WAFF Women's Championship | Saudi Arabia | 0–2 |  Guam | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
| 20:00 UTC+3 | Report | Anaya  21', 42' |
Stadium: King Abdullah Sports City Reserve Stadium Referee: Alesar Baddour (Syria) |
| 7 August 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 0–1 |  Moldova | Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czechia |
| 17:30 UTC+2 | Report (FMF) | Său 54' |
Stadium: Městský stadion |
| 11 August 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 0–1 | Moldova | Kirchberg am Wagram, Austria |
| 20:00 UTC+2 | Report (FMF) |
|
Stadium: Sportpark Kirchberg/Wagram |
| 23 October 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 0–0 |  Malaysia | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| --:-- UTC+3 | Stadium: Police Officers' Club Stadium |
| 29 October 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 4–0 | Laos | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| 19:00 UTC+3 |
|
Stadium: Police Officers' Club Stadium |
| 29 November 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 0–1 |  Palestine | Doha, Qatar |
| 19:00 UTC+3 | Youssef 66' |
Stadium: Aspire Academy Stadium Referee: Khalid Al-Shaqsi (Oman) |
| 3 December 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 | Palestine | Doha, Qatar |
| 19:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Aspire Academy Stadium Referee: Khalid Al-Shaqsi (Oman) |
| 7 December 2024 Friendly | Saudi Arabia | 1–1 |  Pakistan | Doha, Qatar |
| 19:00 UTC+3 | Al-Ghamid 37' |
Report | Hirani 87' |
Stadium: Aspire Academy Stadium Referee: Khalid Al-Shaqsi (Oman) |
- Women’s National Team (2024), SAFF.com.sa
Head-to-head record
edit- Key
The following table shows Saudi Arabia's all-time official international record per opponent:
| Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | Confederation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | –5 | 0.00 | UEFA |
 Bhutan |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | –3 | 0.00 | AFC |
 Comoros |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 | CAF |
 Indonesia |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | –1 | 0.00 | AFC |
| Malaysia |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | –1 | 0.00 | AFC |
 Maldives |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 | AFC |
 Mauritius |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100.00 | CAF |
| Pakistan |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 50.00 | AFC |
| Palestine |
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | AFC |
| Seychelles |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100.00 | CAF |
| Syria |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 100.00 | AFC |
| Total | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 19 | +3 | 36.84 | — |
Coaching staff
editCurrent coaching staff
edit- As of 11 February 2023
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Lluís Cortés[15]
|
| Assistant coach | Dona Rajab Sandra Kalin Martin Pacholek
|
| Goalkeeping coach |  Catherine Lingert
|
| Team administrator | Dalia Al-Obeikan Intisar Al-Qahtan
|
| Video analyst |  Donna Newberry
|
| Team manager | Beren Sadaqa
|
Manager history
edit- Monika Staab[16] (11 August 2021 – 13 February 2023)
Rosa Lappi-Seppälä (13 February 2023 – 24 October 2023)[17]- Lluís Cortés (11 December 2023– present)[18]
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- The following 25 players were called up for the Friendly matches against Palestine and Pakistan 29 Nouvember , 3 and 8 December 2024.[19]
Caps and goals correct as of 23 February 2024 after the match against Guam
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Reem Al-Bloushi | 21 January 2001 | 0 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
| 21 | GK | Ghaliah Emam | 10 August 1994 | 0 | 0 | Al-Ahli
|
| 22 | GK | Laila Ali | 25 September 2000 | 1 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
| 2 | DF | Bayan Sadagah | 15 November 1994 | 22 | 1 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 3 | DF | Leen Mohammed | 22 March 2003 | 15 | 2 | Al-Shabab
|
| 4 | DF | Talah Zuhair Al-Ghamdi | 18 November 1999 | 16 | 0 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 6 | DF | Layan Jouhari | 12 January 2001 | 7 | 0 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 12 | DF | Shuruq Al-Hwsawi | 25 November 1994 | 8 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
| 13 | DF | Aseel Ahmed | 25 March 1996 | 1 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
| 16 | DF | Huriyyah Al-Shamrani | 14 July 2004 | 8 | 0 | Al-Ahli
|
| 23 | DF | Raghad Mukhayzin | 24 October 1996 | 21 | 0 | Al-Ahli
|
| 25 | DF | Nouf Saud | 7 November 2000 | 4 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
| 5 | MF | Lana Abdulrazak | 22 May 2005 | 22 | 2 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 8 | MF | Sara Al-Hamad | 27 June 1992 | 22 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
| 10 | MF | Seba Tawfiq | 13 January 2005 | 12 | 2 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 11 | MF | Jouri Al-Johani | 27 November 2005 | 0 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
| 15 | MF | Moudi Abdulmohsen | 20 September 2001 | 5 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
| 18 | MF | Adda Al-Fahad | 13 March 1996 | 10 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
| 19 | MF | Mariam Al-Tamimi | 8 December 2004 | 8 | 3 | Al-Ula
|
| 20 | MF | Manar Al Enezi | 14 January 2000 | 0 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
| 26 | MF | Rahaf Al-Mansouri | 25 April 1997 | 1 | 0 | Al Qadsiah
|
| 7 | FW | Mubarkh Mohammed | 19 December 1998 | 13 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
| 9 | FW | Al Bandary Mobarak | 9 December 2001 | 17 | 10 | Al-Shabab
|
| 14 | FW | Joury Tarek | 13 March 2003 | 17 | 0 | Al-Ittihad
|
| 17 | FW | Fadwa Khaled | 25 January 2005 | 2 | 0 | Al-Ahli
|
Recent call-ups
editThe following players have been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Sara Khalid | 2 August 1996 | 14 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
v. Laos, 29 October 2024
|
| GK | Mona Abdulrahman | 27 October 1996 | 8 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
v. Laos, 29 October 2024
|
| GK | Salma Al-Dowsri | 7 November 2002 | 0 | 0 | Al Qadsiah
|
v. Syria, 12 January 2024
|
| DF | Asrar Al-Shaibani | 23 July 1995 | 2 | 0 | Al-Ittihad
|
v. Moldova, 11 August 2024
|
| DF | Tahani Al-Yunbaawi | 1 October 1995 | 0 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
v. Syria, 12 January 2024
|
| DF | Hala Khashoggi | 11 October 1999 | 3 | 0 | Al-Ittihad
|
v. Laos, 29 October 2024
|
| MF | Fatimah Mansour | 10 December 2007 | 15 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
v. Laos, 29 October 2024
|
| MF | Al Jawharah Saud | 10 September 2000 | 2 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
2024 WAFF Women's ChampionshipINJ |
| MF | Majd Al-Otaibi | 4 December 2006 | 1 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
v. Moldova, 11 August 2024
|
| MF | Lulu Al-Obaid | 26 October 2004 | 0 | 0 | Al Hilal
|
v. Moldova, 11 August 2024
|
| MF | Noura Ibrahim | 17 September 1998 | 17 | 3 | Al-Shabab
|
v. Guam, 23 February 2024
|
| FW | Ameera Abualsamh | (age 17) | 6 | 0 |  McMaster Marauders
|
v. Moldova, 11 August 2024
|
| FW | Moluk Al-Hawsawi | 10 January 2005 | 2 | 0 | Al-Ahli
|
v. Guam, 23 February 2024
|
| FW | Haya Al-Sunaidi | 30 August 2001 | 1 | 0 | Al Qadsiah
|
v. Guam, 23 February 2024
|
| FW | Abeer Nasser | 14 September 1998 | 2 | 0 | Al-Shabab
|
v. Guam, 23 February 2024
|
| FW | Al Bandari Al-Hwsawi | 9 May 1993 | 11 | 1 | Al Hilal
|
v. Syria, 12 January 2024
|
| FW | Dalal Abdulwasi | 13 January 1995 | 0 | 0 | Al Nassr
|
v. Syria, 12 January 2024
|
| FW | Shaima Belal | 11 July 1999 | 0 | 0 | Al-Ula
|
v. Laos, 29 October 2024
|
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. | ||||||
Records
edit- Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 8 January 2024.[14]
Most-capped playersedit
|
Top goalscorersedit
|
Competitive record
editSo far, the team hasn't competed in the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Olympic Games, the Arab Women's Cup, the WAFF Women's Championship or the AFC Women's Asian Cup. They also haven't competed at the Asian Games yet, but as hosts for the 2034 edition they are automatically qualified.
Asian Games
edit| Asian Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosts / Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GD |
 1990 |
did not enter | |||||||
 1994
| ||||||||
 1998
| ||||||||
 2002
| ||||||||
 2006
| ||||||||
| 2010
| ||||||||
 2014
| ||||||||
| 2018
| ||||||||
| 2022
| ||||||||
| 2026 |
To be decided | |||||||
| 2030
| ||||||||
| 2034 |
Qualified as host | |||||||
| Total | 0/10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Hijabs approved for soccer players by FIFA – Montreal – CBC News". Cbc.ca. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- ^ "Women's football". New Statesman. 137: 20. 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ "Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia After King Abdullah".
- ^ "Salman: Rave in desert, women drivers: How Saudi is undergoing sweeping changes under Prince Salman – Times of India". The Times of India. 26 December 2021.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia reforms open turnstiles to female football fans". Financial Times. 12 January 2018.
- ^ "Jeddah Eagles flying high with women's football win". Arab News. 9 December 2019.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia launches a soccer league for women". CNN. 27 February 2020.
- ^ "Arab nations cannot afford to ignore the rise of women's football". 29 July 2020.
- ^ "Monika Staab appointed coach of Saudi women's national football team". Arab News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Saudi Arabian women's national team set for historic international debut in Maldives". Orbital Affairs. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Saudi women's national football team beat Seychelles in historic international win". Arab News. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ (AR)لمياء بن بهيان: نخطط لمشاركة منتخب السعودية للسيدات في كأس العالم خلال 10 أعوام
- ^ a b "Saudi Arabia – Team Info". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ "Former Barcelona manager Lluis Cortes named Saudi Arabia women's head coach". theathletic.com. Charlotte Harpur. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ "Who's Who: Monika Staab, new coach of the Saudi women's national football team". arabnews.com. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ "الاتحاد السعودي يقدم شكره لمدربة منتخب السيدات روزا لابي بعد انتهاء مدة عقدها - الاتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم".
- ^ "من هو لويس كورتيس المدرب الجديد لأخضر السيدات؟".
- ^ "المنتخب الوطني للسيدات يدشن معسكره الإعدادي في الدوحة" [The Women's National Team kicks off its training camp in Doha.]. saff.com.sa (in Arabic). Saudi Arabian Football Federation. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.