The report, “Pioneering Change: Women’s Football in Saudi Arabia“, published by the NEOM sport sector in partnership with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), details how female participation in Saudi Arabian football has skyrocketed since the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) initiated its Saudi Vision 2030 campaign.

The PIF has since poured investment into sport. Notably, it has hosted high-profile boxing matches and pouring money into its men’s domestic league, the Saudi Pro League (SPL). The league has acquired the signature of male global superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

The PIF also purchased Newcastle United in 2021 – both the men’s and women’s teams were part of the deal. The fact the Magpies’ women’s team lingers under-resourced in WSL 2, and there had been less investment in the women’s domestic league, had seen the PIF further scorned, however.

It has also failed to shake off accusations of “sports washing” and “virtue signalling”.

In short, the Kingdom is alleged to be hosting high-profile sports events and pretending to soften its stance on women’s rights. in order to enhance its international reputation, rather than actively promote social change. Notably, it was selected to chair the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women last year despite Amnesty International calling its track record “in the field “abysmal”.

The report, while funded and approved by the PIF in all but name, seems to imply some of that criticism was unfair. While the Gulf state still has many archaic laws in place that discriminate against women and girls, the report’s figures show that 70,000 Saudi women participated in grassroots football in 2023.

Furthermore, six new and improved Regional Training Centres (RTCs) fostered a 773% growth in girls aged between 6 and 17 attending football outside of school hours, and community engagement increased significantly through locally organised leagues and tournaments.

While it doesn’t yet compete with the SPL in stature or financial clout, the formation of the SAFF Women’s Premier League and other competitions marked a significant increase in the number of professional women’s players. The total number of professional Saudi women is believed to have almost tripled since the launch of Vision 2030.

National development pathways have also been established, affording women more opportunities to develop on and off the field.

Critics of the Saudi government are also likely to welcome the revelation that the PIF has agreed to equally resource the men’s and women’s teams. While this does not include financial compensation for attending international camps, it does include quality of facilities and accommodation while doing so.

To many this will represent a significant step although the veracity of the claim is likely to be questioned. The European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) published its own report last year that found that Saudi women and girls were dramatically discriminated against when it came to accessing sports facilities.

Contrastingly, the NEOM report indicates that the number of such facilities that girls have access to has more than trebled and commercial interest in the women’s game has helped further boost its popularity. It boasts partnerships with brands like Lay’s and Rexona as well as broadcast deals with SSC and DAZN.

The size and stature of these deals is likely to increase as the nation prepares to host the World Cup in 2034.

The report concludes by envisioning that Saudi Arabia will continue to leverage what it describes as an “innovative approach” and significant investments to create a sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive ecosystem for women’s football. By prioritising investment, infrastructure, and cultural support, the nation believes it is on a promising path to becoming a global leader in women’s football.

Whether this report is enough to assuage criticism of the country’s attitude towards women and girls remains to be seen.