Thursday: Youth Competitions Kick Off for New Season

2026-09-02
17:20:13

The U-15 and U-17 competitions for Premier League clubs, as well as the U-17 Division One League, will begin tomorrow, Thursday, for the new 2026-2027 season, whereas Eighteen clubs will participate in each competition, as part of a system of competitions aimed at developing talent, refining technical skills, and enhancing readiness for future stages.

The U-17 Saudi Premier League includes Al-Taawoun, Al-Batin, Al-Hilal, Abha, Al-Fateh, Al-Riyadh, Al-Ula, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Shabab, Al-Watan, Al-Hazm, Al-Nassr, Al-Orouba, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Raed, Al-Ettifaq, and Al-Fayha.

The U-15 Premier League includes Al-Ittihad, Al-Batin, Al-Ula, Al-Ahli, Al-Ettifaq, Uhud, Al-Fateh, Neom, Al-Adalah, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Nassr, Al-Raed, Al-Shabab, Al-Watan, Al-Akhdoud, Al-Hilal, Al-Taawoun, and Al-Riyadh.

The Under-17 Division One League includes Al-Khaleej, Najran, Al-Najma, Jeddah, Al-Tai, Hattin, Uhud, Al-Qalaa, Neom, Al-Jabalain, Al-Ansar, Al-Adalah, Al-Rawdah, Hajer, Al-Wahda, Al-Safa, Al-Jeel, and Al-Qunfudhah. Meanwhile, the Under-15 Division One League features Al-Orouba, Jeddah, Al-Khaleej, Abha, Al-Fayha, Al-Diriyah, Al-Tai, Al-Jeel, Al-Mutawa, Al-Wahda, Al-Faw, Ajyal Academy, Majd Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Zulfi, Al-Safa, Al-Jabalain, Al-Najma, and Hajer.

The youth competitions continue on Friday with the start of the Saudi U-16 Premier League, featuring Al-Ittihad, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Hilal, Al-Ettifaq, Al-Ula, Al-Nassr, Al-Akhdoud, Al-Fateh, Al-Taawon, Al-Shabab, Al-Fayha, Al-Ahli, Uhud, Al-Watan, Al-Batin, Al-Riyadh, Al-Khaleej, and Al-Raed.

The youth leagues continue on Saturday with the Saudi Premier League U-18 competition, featuring Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Hazm, Al-Ahli, Al-Raed, Al-Nassr, Al-Shabab, Al-Taawoun, Al-Fayha, Al-Riyadh, Al-Ettifaq, Al-Hilal, Mahayil, Al-Fateh, Al-Watan, Al-Ittihad, Al-Faisaly, Al-Orouba, and Al-Ula.

The U-18 Division One League includes Al-Jabalain, Al-Rawdah, Al-Batin, Al-Tai, Al-Najma, Al-Amjad, Al-Ansar, Al-Arabi, Al-Khaleej, Damac, Neom, Abha, Al-Jeel, Al-Sahari, Al-Wahda, Hajer, Al-Adalah, and Al-Qalaa.

Finally, the U-16 Division One League kicks off, featuring Al-Jabalain, Al-Faw, Al-Jeel, Jeddah, Al-Safa, Al-Adalah, Radwa, Al-Qassim, Al-Tai, Al-Bukairiyah, Neom, Al-Wahda, Al-Orouba, Al-Noor, Majd Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Zulfi, Abha, and Al-Faisaly.

The four leagues will be played in a double round-robin format, with each team playing two matches against each opponent, one at home and one away.

The bottom three teams in the final standings will be relegated to the lower division starting the following season.

Last season, 2025-2026, saw Al-Qadisiyah crowned champions of the Under-18 Premier League, while Al-Hilal won the Under-17 Premier League title, and Al-Ittihad claimed the Under-16 and Under-15 Premier League titles.

In the Under-18 Division One League for the past season, Al-Riyadh won the title, while Al-Ula won the Under-17 Division One League, Al-Riyadh won the Under-16 Division One League, and Al-Adalah won the Under-15 title.

The new season will see an update to the youth team rosters, with an increase in the maximum number of registered players, as the regulations for the Under-17 and Under-16 Premier Leagues now allow for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 players per team, subject to the age and player size requirements stipulated in the federation's regulations.

This update gives clubs greater flexibility in managing rosters and expands the pool of players benefiting from the competitions, thus enhancing opportunities for participation, exposure, and experience, and also supports efforts to discover and develop talent across all age groups.

Youth leagues continue to play a vital role as a cornerstone of talent development, providing a competitive environment that gives players valuable playing time and experience. They contribute to talent identification and skill development, supporting the preparation of new generations of players capable of representing clubs and national teams in the future.

Furthermore, first-division leagues represent a crucial component of the youth development system, offering players and clubs a wider competitive platform and increased opportunities for participation and exposure, that contributes to building a larger pool of talent and providing multiple pathways for development and advancement to higher levels.