Girls' Regional Training Centers Conclude Their Fourth Season with Wide Participation

2025-06-30
18:02:19

The Women's Football Department of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) successfully concluded the fourth season of its Girls' Regional Training Centers, which began in September 2024 and continued until June 2025.

This season saw a significant expansion in the number of centers, increasing to six compared to three in the previous season. These centers are distributed across five main regions: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, and Mecca.

The training center facilities included two main types of training environments: grass pitches and specialized indoor halls in both Riyadh and Mecca, providing a diverse and ideal environment for developing the technical and physical skills of female players.

This season, the centers welcomed more than 400 new players, accepted from among over 1,500 applicants, into the training programs, with a special focus on the under-15 age group. The goal is to build a strong base of emerging talent and foster a new generation of talented female players. The training programs were overseen by more than 60 female coaches and administrators, along with six regional supervisors who ensured the highest standards of quality and efficiency in training, educational, and behavioral monitoring.

The season witnessed several distinguished events, most notably the visit of His Excellency German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to one of the regional training centers for girls in Riyadh. He was accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports, and Lamia bin Bahyan, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

The official delegation was briefed on the Kingdom's efforts to empower and develop women's football, a clear reflection of the growing international interest in the Kingdom's experience in this field.

A group of players also participated in a special introductory trip in preparation for the Kingdom's hosting of the 2034 World Cup, which included inspiring meetings with a number of prominent international football stars.

These centers have contributed to developing the players' skills. Three outstanding players were selected to join the national under-17 team: Lina Refaat, Sadeem Al-Suhaimi, and Reem Al-Mubarak. Meanwhile, 40 other players transferred to local clubs to enhance their performance and contribute to raising the quality of local competition.

The training programs cover age groups from 6 to 15 years old, focusing on technical, tactical, and physical aspects, along with promoting educational values and discipline. This is part of a strategic plan aimed at building a generation capable of competing locally and internationally.

This program is one of the key initiatives in the SAFF's plan to develop women's football, providing specialized training environments aimed at preparing professional players and a promising future for the game.

The regional training centers are scheduled to return for their fifth season in August 2025, continuing the journey of developing and empowering girls' sports in the Kingdom.