Saudi football federation’s reforms boost bid for Asia’s top award

Sports analyst Saud Al-Sarami has said the Saudi Arabian Football Federation possesses strong credentials to compete for the title of Asia’s best national football association, noting that federations are evaluated not only on national and club results, but also on the impact of their development decisions across the football ecosystem.

Speaking to Al Arabiya FM, Al-Sarami highlighted that the Saudi federation stands out for its bold decisions that have advanced domestic competitions, including lifting the cap on foreign players. He also pointed to the progress of the Roshn Saudi League, both in terms of competitiveness and fan attendance.

He explained that these factors are among the evaluation criteria, along with the number of teams and competitions, youth development, and participation in international tournaments. Al-Sarami stressed that progress in decision-making and football system development are key elements in determining the continent’s top federations.

Al-Sarami also named the Saudi, Jordanian, Japanese, and South Korean federations as leading examples in Asia, noting the significant progress made by the Jordanian federation over the past decade, which has been reflected in the performance of its national team, clubs, and fan engagement.

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He emphasized that the Asian Football Confederation’s evaluation is not limited to wins and losses, but also considers institutional development and decisions that help advance the sport.