Saudi Pro League 23/24 complete guide: Teams, stars, fixtures

The 2023/24 Saudi Pro League promises to be one of the most intriguing in the kingdom’s history, with Saudi Arabian clubs experiencing an unprecedented level of player recruitment.

Here’s all you need to know about the league, which now features the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino and Steven Gerrard.

What is the Saudi Pro League?

Established in 1976, the Saudi Pro League represents the top tier of Saudi Arabian football. Roshn, a real estate division of the Public Investment Fund, has been the league’s title sponsor since last year.

Which teams have had the most success?

Al Hilal are record 18-time winners, while current champions Al Ittihad sit second alongside Al Nassr, with nine each. Al Shabab, another Riyadh club, have six titles, Al Ahli three, Al Ettifaq two and Al Fateh one.

Why will the 2023/24 season be so different?

The kingdom has invested significantly in its top league this summer. This has been marked by an unprecedented spend on player recruitment, with the likes of Benzema, Kante, Firmino, Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic following Ronaldo, who signed for Nassr last December, to Saudi. Last month, the kingdom announced the Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project.

Launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the initiative aims to encourage private investment in the sports sector. Aligned with the kingdom’s Vision 2030, it will have a particular focus on football. One of the project’s primary objectives is to position the Saudi Pro League as one of the top 10 football leagues in the world.

As part of the privatisation objective, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired a 75 per cent stake in Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli – the league’s four lead clubs. The remaining 25 per cent will be controlled by a non-profit organisation. The Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project will seek to increase the league’s annual revenue from 450 million Saudi riyals ($120 million) to more than 1.8 billion riyals. The kingdom has also targeted raising the Pro League’s market value from 3 billion riyals to more than 8 billion riyals by 2030.

When does the new season start and finish?

August 11 through until next May. The league will break from December 30-February 15 to accommodate the rescheduled 2023 Asian Cup, in Qatar.

First round of games:

Aug 11 Al Ahli v Al Hazem

Aug 12 Al Ittihad v Al Taawoun

Aug 13 Al Nassr v Al Shabab

Aug 14 Al Fayha v Al Ettifaq

Aug 15 Al Raed v Al Wehda

Aug 16 Damac v Al Fateh

How many teams will contest the 2023/24 season?

The league has been expanded from 16 teams last season to 18 now and comprises the top 14 clubs (two, Al Batin and Al Adalah, were relegated) from the 2022/23 campaign and four promoted from the second tier (Ahli, Al Hazem, Al Okhdood and Al Riyadh). The teams will play each other twice, in a home and away format, meaning each club have 34 league matches to contest.

When are matches played?

The majority of matches will fall between Thursday and Saturday. However, the opening matchday includes games on Sunday and Monday, while Matchday 4 takes place across Monday August 28 and Tuesday August 29. Also, Matchday 6 will run through until Sunday September 17.

How much are match tickets?

Prices can range from SAR10 to SAR100 ($2.70-$27) for general access and from SAR100 to SAR1,000 for VIP.

What are attendances like?

The Saudi Pro League is among the best attended in Asia, with official figures stating attendances had increased by 150 per cent in the past year alone. The total number cited was 2,249,161 – a record. Champions Ittihad averaged 40,400 for their home matches, which can climb to almost 60,000 for high-profile games. Capacities are said to range from 5,000 (Damac Club Stadium) to 62,500 (Hilal’s King Fadh International Stadium).

How many foreign players are each team allowed?

Last season, the league permitted teams to register eight foreign players, up by one from the previous campaign. That remains the same for this season.