Saudi Football Federation achieves top Asian talent development ranking

The Saudi Football Federation has risen from the second tier to the highest level in the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) talent development ranking, following a comprehensive evaluation by the AFC of the federation's youth development system.

The assessment covered the federation’s technical department, youth competitions, coach development programs, private academies, regional training centers, and talent identification and development initiatives.

An AFC delegation visited the Saudi Football Federation in June to review its projects, programs, and supporting documents as part of the youth development pathway evaluation process.

Van Gaan, a member of the AFC Youth Development Committee, praised the significant progress in youth programs and the adopted strategy, noting the achievements and stressing the importance of maintaining this approach for talent identification, development, and coach training.

Saudi Football Federation Secretary-General Majid bin Ali Al Sahib said that attaining the highest Asian ranking "reflects the federation’s continuous efforts in youth development over recent years, including improvements in competitions, coach training, and the expansion of talent discovery programs and academies."

Al Sahib also commended the previous board of directors for its initiatives in youth development, emphasizing that these efforts were pivotal in achieving this ranking and affirming the commitment to building on this progress to further advance Saudi football.