Livida Sport: A Global Guide to Football Transfers - Second Edition - Manual / Resource - Page 75
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Pro League
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The Saudi Pro League is the top professional football league in Saudi Arabia. Founded in
1976, the league is gaining global attention due to its significant investments in star
players and infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia9s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the majority shareholder of four Saudi Pro
League clubs: Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. With huge financial support from
the PIF, these clubs have been able to secure the services of some of the biggest names
in the sport, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema. As a result of the
influx of foreign players, the quality of football has improved significantly, and the Saudi
Pro League aims eventually to compete with the 8top five9 European leagues.
The league9s commercial appeal has skyrocketed, with partnerships, sponsorships, and
broadcasting rights contributing to its increasing international profile. Netflix has
released its trailer for the highly anticipated documentary series titled 8Saudi Pro League:
Kickoff9, which will provide an inside look at the exciting changes sweeping through the
Saudi Pro League.
What are the foreign player rules?
Clubs in the Saudi Pro League previously faced restrictions on overseas players, allowing
only four foreign players and no foreign goalkeepers during the 2016/2017 season.
However, to enhance its global presence, the league has gradually lifted these limits, now
permitting each club to register ten overseas players. Among these, two must be under
21 years of age, and only eight can be included in a match day squad.
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