A Guide to Saudi Pro League: Teams, Players, Stats and Betting Odds

by Luke Andrews, 12 October 2023

The Saudi Pro League has ambitions to become the new dominant force in the football world, attracting the best talent. Some of the games’s best footballers have been tempted by the riches on offer and now play their club football in West Asia. Due to the influx of top talent, there is significant interest in the SPL. In this article, our resident football expert, Luke Andrews, explores the league and tells you everything you need to know.

The Saudi Pro League can claim to be one of the fastest growing leagues in the world, so not surprisingly, there is quite a lot of attention on it, and there is an increase in activity when football betting.

The SPL, also known as the Roshn Saudi League, thanks to its sponsors, kicked off its inaugural season with a bang in 1976. Structured initially as a round-robin tournament, the league underwent a thrilling transformation in the 1989-90 season. Not only did it join forces with the King’s Cup, but it also introduced an electrifying feature called the Golden Box. This knockout system pitted the top four teams from the regular season against each other in the semi-finals, culminating in a grand showdown for the Champion of Saudi Arabia title.

However, the league circled back to its round-robin roots in the 2007-08 season. Now, it boasts fierce competition among eighteen teams vying for the ultimate glory. The Saudi Pro League has been a powerhouse in Asian football, particularly shining in the AFC Champions League, with Al-Hilal as its crown jewel. The league catapulted into global stardom in 2023 when it made headlines by signing none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. Since then, it has become a magnet for world-class talent, offering irresistible transfer fees and lavish contracts.

Financially backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the league’s top four trailblazers—Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ittihad—have been at the forefront of the Saudi football revolution. In anticipation of their World Cup hosting bid, the league has rolled out the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 program, giving a turbo boost to its development.

The Saudi Pro League’s season syncs with the European top five leagues. It kicked off on August 11 this year and will wrap up on May 27, 2024. Just nine games into the season, Al-Hilal is setting the pace and remains the only undefeated team in the league.

Saudi Pro League – Biggest Stadiums

In this section, I’ll delve into the most significant stadiums across Saudi Arabia, each with its unique history, capacity, and contributions to the sport. From King Fahd International Stadium, the cornerstone of the Saudi Pro League, to Prince Abdullah bin Jawali Stadium, where Saudi Pro League games for Al-Fateh FC and Hajer FC are played.

King Fahd International Stadium

King Fahd International Stadium – Capacity: 58,398

Team: Al-Hilal, Saudi Arabia

Year Built: 1982

Location: Riyadh

The most important stadium in the Saudi Pro League is host to the national team and two of the most dominant teams in the league Al-Hilal and former home to the Al-Nasr and Al-Shabab till 2023. King Fahd International Stadium hosted the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship, with the all-important final played here.

⚽️ ALNASSR GOAL ⚽️

Last Derby at King Fahd International Stadium 🏟️
Ended like this @talisca_aa 🎩

Which moment in the derby you remember the most? pic.twitter.com/ww78Re2zlc

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) April 17, 2023

King Abdullah Sport City

King Abdullah Sport City – Capacity: 62,345

Team: Al-Ittihad Club, Al-Ahli SFC

Year Built: 2014

Location: Jeddah

The King Abdullah Sport City is the second biggest stadium in Saudi Arabia and the tenth biggest in the Arab world. It is set to host the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, and its multipurpose setup has seen it host athletes and indoor sporting events. It is host of the Al Ahli SFC and Al-Ittihad.

King Abdul Aziz Stadium

King Abdul Aziz Stadium – Capacity: 38,000

Team: Al-Wehda

Year Built: 1986

Location: Mekka

The King Abdulaziz Stadium is a versatile venue in Mecca, Saudi Arabia’s sacred city. As the most expansive stadium in Mecca, it primarily hosts football games and accommodates up to 38,000 spectators. Al-Wehda calls this stadium its home turf. For a period, the venue welcomed Jeddah-based clubs Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, owing to its closeness while their local stadiums were renovated.

Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Stadium

Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Stadium – Capacity: 26,000

Team: Al-Ettufaq FC, Al-Khaleej FC

Year Built: 1973

Location: Dammam

The Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Stadium is a versatile sports venue in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1973, the stadium bears the name of Muhammad bin Fahd, the ex-governor of the Eastern Province, and is the province’s inaugural football stadium.

Primarily utilised for football events, it serves as the home ground for local teams Al-Ettifaq and Al-Nahda. With a seating capacity of 26,000 spectators, the stadium spans an area of 105,929.06 square meters.

Prince Abdullah bin Jawali Stadium

Prince Abdullah bin Jawali Stadium – Capacity: 19,550

Team: Al-Fateh FC, Hajer FC,

Year Built: 1983

Location: Al-Hasa (Hofuf)

The Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium is a football-centric venue located in Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia. Primarily designed for football events, it serves as the home field for Al Fateh and Hajer Club, both of which are part of the Saudi Professional League. The stadium can accommodate up to 19,550 fans and was inaugurated in 1983. As with all the football grounds in Saudi, it is owned by the Ministry of Sports.

Although some of the Stadiums are very modest, especially when compared to Premier League stadiums, there are plans to build several new venues. The country is gearing up for a monumental event—the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. This will be the 19th edition of the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Asia, organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Scheduled to be held in January 2027, the tournament will feature 24 national teams and will take place across multiple venues in four host cities, including Riyadh and Jeddah.

Saudi Pro League – Most Successful Teams

As the Saudi Pro League has been in existence since 1976, it has a rich history. In this next section, I’ll explore the most successful teams in the SPL.

Al-Ahli SFC – Three Titles

One of the best-supported teams in the Saudi Pro League with a dedicated and passionate fan base and competitive spirit. They have been a consistent contender for the Saudi Pro League trophy, winning the title thrice. They recently won the league in the 2015-16 season.

Al-Shabab FC – Six Titles

The six-time Saudi Pro League winners finished fourth in the 2022-23 season. The 1947 team is home at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. Three of their six trophies came in the twenty-first century, winning the 2003-04, 2005-06, and the 2011-12 season trophies.

Al-Nassr FC- Nine Titles

The most dominant team in the Saudi Pro League is termed the pioneers of their resurgence, with their most significant conquest bringing Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane into their ranks. The Knights have won the Saudi Pro League trophy thrice since 2010, clinching the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2018-19. They are favourites with their current squad to go all the way and win this year’s edition, having already begun strongly.

Al-Ittihad Club – Nine Titles

Level on the number of titles with Al Nassr, they also pose a great contention for the title, bringing the reigning Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema into their ranks to lead their attack. They are the reigning Saudi Pro League winners and have won five titles in the twenty-first century, winning in the 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2008-09, and the 2022-23.

Hello Al-Ittihad Club is big and you don't know about anything, this typhoon, which we mean that they remember because Al-Ahly Club came from the first degree and this year has risen to excellence 😀 pic.twitter.com/3CyzoskQ00

— 💛 (@T036123) October 8, 2023

Al-Hilal- Eighteen Titles

Al-Hilal is the only team in double figures and, by mile, the most successful team in the Saudi League. The Blue Waves have their eyes on Lionel Messi after his American adventures end and could bring him to paper. The Blue Waves have been the benchmark for success with a rich history and have delivered strong performances throughout, with ten titles since the turn of the new century.

Saudi Pro League – Most Famous Players

The allure of high-paying deals continues to draw big names to the Saudi Pro League.

Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante inked contracts with reigning champions Al Ittihad as the summer kicked off. At the same time, Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy penned a deal with Al Ahli, and his former Chelsea colleague Kalidou Koulibaly switched to adversaries Al Hilal. The transfer activity has persisted since.

Marcelo Brozovic transitioned to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr squad, Roberto Firmino finalised a no-cost transfer to Al Ahli following his Liverpool exit, and Serbian sensation Sergej Milinkovic-Savic agreed to a remarkable switch to Al Hilal.

The Liverpool influence will also be felt in other parts of the Saudi Pro League in the upcoming season, as Fabinho is set to join Al Ittihad, and skipper Jordan Henderson is slated to collaborate with ex-Reds and England leader Steven Gerrard in his fresh capacity at Al Ettifaq.

The most significant confirmed transition to the Saudi Pro League thus far this window was Al Hilal’s audacious acquisition of Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain in a headline-grabbing transfer arrangement.

Here is a closer look at some of the biggest stars who have moved to the SPL;

Cristiano Ronaldo

Current Club: Al Nassr Former Club: Manchester United Nationality: Portuguese Position: Forward or Winger Age: 38

Career Highlights: The Portuguese veteran is regarded as one of the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). He has made a landmark with eighteen Ballon d’Or nominations and has the second most Ballon d’Or awards. He won the Euro 2016 with France and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo has had successful spells with Manchester United, four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, conquering Italy with Juventus before moving to Saudi Arabia.

Karim Benzema

Current Club: Al- Ittihad Former Club: Real Madrid Nationality: French Position: Forward Age: 35

Career Highlights: The reigning Ballon d’Or winner left the Spanish giants Real Madrid to make a move to Saudi Arabia in the recent transfer window. The move showed the Saudi Pro League’s desire to build a competitive league and has made it entertaining to see the matchup between the teams now filled with quality players.

Ruben Neves

Current Club: Al-Hilal Former Club: Wolver Hampton Wanderers Nationality: Portuguese Position: Defensive Mid Fielder Age: 26

Career Highlights: One of the most shocking moves was Neves choosing to move to Al-Hilal despite interests from top European clubs. He is one of the best in the defensive midfield position, and at 26, he is in the prime of his career rather than in his twilight years.

Super Ruben neves 👑💙 https://twitter.com/mont0i/status/1711402376588865992 pic.twitter.com/xx8lY7LWMr

— يزيد (@Yazeed_15_) October 9, 2023

Sadio Mane Current Club: Al Nassr Former Club: Liverpool Nationality: Senegalese Position: Forward or Winger Age: 31

Career Highlights: Despite initial excitement about his transfer to Bayern Munich, the club ultimately sidelined Mane. A public disagreement with teammate Leroy Sane during a loss to Manchester City, which led to their elimination from the Champions League, created tension. This argument made his subsequent move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia almost inevitable.

As you can see from the table above, playing for a Saudi club can prove very profitable indeed. As well as earning huge wages, the tax regime in Saudi is generous. The tax structure in Saudi Arabia diverges from what is commonly found in Western nations, primarily due to the absence of personal income tax. As a result, if you work in Saudi Arabia and have no other revenue streams, it’s probable that you won’t be taxed on your salary. Furthermore, the country doesn’t levy taxes on wealth, like inheritance tax, nor does it impose stamp duty.

Saudi Pro League – Current Season Overview

Below are the Saudi Pro League table standings and some of the entertaining Saudi Pro League stats.

Al Hilal is currently leading the pack with 23 points. They have an impressive goal difference of +19, having scored 26 goals and conceded only 7.

Al Taawoun closely follows in second place with 22 points and a goal difference of +12. Al Nassr and Al Ittihad are tied in points at 19 but differ in goal difference, with Al Nassr having a +14 goal difference and Al Ittihad at +12.

At the bottom of the table, Al Hazem is struggling with just 3 points and a negative goal difference of -16. Overall, the competition appears to be fierce at the top, while teams at the bottom are fighting to avoid relegation.

Al Hilal Riyadh is the clear favourite with odds of 11/10 with bet365, indicating strong confidence in their performances. Al Ittihad Jeddah and Al Nassr Riyadh follow with odds of 14/5 and 7/2, respectively, suggesting they are also strong contenders.

On the other end of the spectrum, teams like Al-Hazm and Al-Riyadh Sc have the longest odds at 1000/1, making them the league’s underdogs.

Saudi Pro League – Current Season Top Scorers

As expected, Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Saudi Pro League top scorer chats playing for Al Nassr, with 10 goals in 8 matches. He is followed by Moussa Dembélé from Al Ettifaq, who has scored 7 goals in 8 games. The third position is a tie among multiple players like Mourad Batna, Sadio Mané, and others, each with 6 goals.

Interestingly, Al Hilal has three players—Salem Al-Dawsari, Malcom, and Aleksandar Mitrovic—tied at 6 goals.

Saudi Pro League – Current Season – Assists

Mourad Batna from Al Fateh, Cristiano Ronaldo from Al Nassr, and Álvaro Medrán from Al Taawoun are tied at the top with 5 assists each. Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo not only leads in assists but also tops the goalscoring chart, making him a standout performer in both categories. Players like Faycal Fajr, Mateus, and Riyad Mahrez follow closely with 4 assists.

Saudi Pro League Future Prospects

The Saudi Pro League has ambitions to be one of the most significant leagues in the world.

The financial muscle they possess has been their strength, and it has dominated the transfer window as a routine destination for the top talents. In what began like a simple retirement move for Cristiano Ronaldo after being forced out by Manchester United, the league has attracted some of the top players in their prime.

The lucrative contacts and massive transfer are appealing and show the possibility that European teams will have a tough time competing with such a destination that can offer the money the Saudi teams are providing.

The next big move in their Vision 2030 plan will be to lure in Lionel Messi when his two-year contract at Inter Miami ends. If they can bring Messi and brew the Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo battle that lights up the Spanish La Liga, it would be an exciting prospect that will make it more appealing and attract more viewership.

The goal is to make the league more relevant and bring in more players to strengthen all the teams in the league, a move that will make the league compete with some of the top leagues, such as the Premier League.

The Saudi Pro League is promising to be an exciting avenue as one of the top leagues in the world. They have attracted some of the best players and are looking to stuff all their teams with top talents to increase the competition and make the league more appealing to the fans. The financial power has also been a game changer for the league, with lucrative deals for the players to improve the facilities. The Saudi Pro League is a real force to be reckoned with in the coming years.

Saudi Vision 2030 – What is it?

I’ve mentioned the Saudi Vision 2030 a few times throughout this article, but what exactly is it? Saudi Vision 2030 is a comprehensive strategic framework, masterminded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that was officially launched on April 25, 2016.

Everyone is aware that Saudi is immensely wealthy due to the abundant black gold in the country. The plan is to significantly reduce Saudi Arabia’s heavy reliance on oil revenues, which have long been the backbone of the nation’s economy.

The country hopes that by diversifying into various other sectors, such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and tourism, the plan aims to create a more resilient and sustainable economic landscape.

The framework not only explores other avenues of revenue but also seeks to elevate the quality of life for Saudi citizens. It aims to achieve this by investing in a range of public services and improving the standard of healthcare and education.

The plan also focuses on the development of the entertainment sector, intending to make Saudi Arabia a regional hub for arts and culture. Although nothing has been decided, Saudi has publicly announced it wants to host the 2034 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia announce that they will bid to host the 2034 World Cup 🇸🇦🏆 pic.twitter.com/Osdl3FAnR8

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 4, 2023

Akmal Marhali of Indonesian football watchdog Save Our Soccer told the Herald website that it might be too soon for the World Cup to return to the Middle East.

“We are quite strong,” he said. “I think FIFA will see that the Middle East area has been the host with Qatar last year. Japan and Korea have been host too. I am sure FIFA will try other countries. The potential to win if we join with Australia, Malaysia and Singapore is bigger too.”

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Saudi minister of sport said: “‘Hosting a FIFA World Cup in 2034 would help us achieve our dream of becoming a leading nation in world sport and would mark a significant milestone in the country’s transformation. As an emerging and welcoming home for all sports, we believe that hosting a FIFA World Cup is a natural next step in our football journey.”

Regarding Saudi Vision 2030’s sustainability, the plan is committed to reducing the country’s carbon footprint and promoting renewable energy solutions. This is in line with global efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment for future generations.

Another significant aspect is the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which is crucial in financing and supporting the various initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030. The PIF has been instrumental in providing the financial muscle needed to kickstart projects and attract foreign investment.

Premier League fans will be well aware of the Public Investment Fund as it was the vehicle that was used to purchase Newcastle United. The Premier League approved the £305m takeover in September 2021 after receiving “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control the club.

To prepare for its aspiration of hosting the FIFA World Cup and other international events, Saudi Vision 2030 also includes massive infrastructure projects. These range from state-of-the-art stadiums to extensive transportation networks, all aimed at making Saudi Arabia a global destination for various events and tourism.