Women's football in Saudi Arabia

[5][3] The first match between two female teams in the country occurred in January 2008 when the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University team beat Al-Yamamah College in a match played at Dammam's 35,000-spectator capacity Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium in a shootout victory before an all-women audience.

[7] In 2008, the situation for women's football in the Middle East was said by author Gary Brecher to be up there in popularity of freedom and democracy in the region.

[10] In December 2020, the Saudi Sports for All Federation launched the first nation-wide football league in three major cities: Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah.

International pressure has come to bear on the country to field a women's team, since FIFA allows the hijab to be worn in competition.

In 2008, due to the influence of conservative religious leaders in the country, the creation of a FIFA recognised women's national team was banned by law.

"[15] Leaders in Saudi Arabian sport held a meeting in mid-2011 at the College of Business Administration in Jeddah where they discussed women's sport and possible participation of women as part of the Saudi Arabia national team at the Olympic Games.

[5][19] Still, in 2012, the national federation was quietly arguing with the International Football Association Board not to allow women's participation if they were wearing the hijab while playing.

The logic they followed was that if FIFA allowed women to wear the hijab in recognised matches, it would be much more difficult for the federation to prevent a national team from being created.

[20] A female football player in the country in 2012 said of the situation as it pertains to the national team: "Our generation started the game, the leagues, the structure.

[21] Some obstacles for the creation of a national team were removed with women being allowed to represent the country at the Youth Olympics.

[21] Female players in the country were optimistic in October 2017 about a team being created in the near future as a result of the Vision 30 plan, which is supported by the King with the goal of increasing women's participation in all parts of Saudi culture including in sports.

[23] 2014 was also seen as a year with forward progress as women were allowed to enter stadiums in the country to watch men's football for the first time.

[27] In February 2020, Saudi Arabia decided to launch a football league for women in the whole country.

[29] In January 2019, EFFC participated in the first women's football tournament in the Gulf Cooperation Council in Al Ain.