Saudi Football Federation launches club academy development project

The Saudi Football Federation has launched a club academy development project targeting clubs in the Saudi Pro League and the First and Second Divisions. The initiative aims to enhance the talent development system, improve the quality of work at club academies, and establish a sustainable pathway for nurturing and developing football talent.

The project was announced during the Club Forum held by the Saudi Football Federation today in Riyadh, attended by Secretary General Majid Al-Sahib, the federation's Executive Director of Football Matt Crocker, FIFA High Performance Specialist and Talent Development Planner Philippe Senderos, and representatives from the 68 targeted clubs.

At the start of the forum, Secretary General Majid Al-Sahib emphasized the importance of partnership with clubs in developing the football ecosystem, and the crucial role academies play in building a sustainable talent base and supporting the future of Saudi football.

Matt Crocker, Executive Director of Football at the federation, outlined the project's overall direction, objectives, and workstreams for the coming phase. Meanwhile, Naeem Al-Bakr, Chairman of the Competitions Committee, reviewed the development of youth competitions and their recent expansion, highlighting their role in providing a progressive competitive pathway for players.

The federation's Director of Football Development presented the academy development program and its importance in raising technical standards within clubs and strengthening player development pathways. FIFA's High Performance Specialist and Talent Development Planner discussed the significance of academy development programs in building sustainable talent systems, and FIFA's support for football development initiatives and programs.

The project aims to establish unified standards for academy operations, help each club identify its priorities and refine its methodology, and ensure the preparation of a new generation of outstanding players. It also seeks to facilitate the transition of talent from academies to first teams and national squads.

The Saudi Football Federation is implementing the project in partnership with Belgian company Double Pass, a specialist in academy development that has worked with several major football associations, including those of England, Italy, Japan, Turkey, and Germany. The project is based on international benchmarking and current academy assessments, with unified standards and comprehensive evaluations for existing academies, which will inform tailored development plans for each club.

The project also includes a comprehensive assessment of academies across key areas such as talent identification and development, player progression to first teams, sporting environment, infrastructure, competencies and learning, digital analysis, investment, and governance. This will provide a complete picture of each academy and identify areas for improvement.

The project will be implemented through three evaluation cycles up to 2030, each combining comprehensive and interim assessments. The first cycle will begin in the 2026/2027 season and cover all 68 academies, followed by the implementation of tailored development plans and capacity-building programs. The second and third cycles will focus on monitoring progress, re-evaluation, and measuring achievements against the project's targets.

The project will also introduce incentives for clubs based on the quality of their work and productivity, as well as benefits related to player transfers. This aims to enhance the return on investment in talent development and increase the technical and market value of players developed within the clubs.