Saudi Arabia, which is trying to shed its image of an ultra-conservative kingdom, will launch a women's football championship comprising 16 teams at the end of November, the Saudi Football Federation said on Saturday.
The launch of this championship on November 22 marks a notable change for Saudi women, who were only allowed to enter a football stadium to watch a match in January 2018. The creation of this championship is a "moment." important ”for the federation, said its president, Yasser al-Misehal, and is part of a program to support women's football launched in 2017.
The competition will take place in two stages, the teams first competing in three regional leagues in Riyadh, the capital, Jeddah and Dammam.
The teams qualified at the end of the regular phase will play the finals in early 2022 in Jeddah.
Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia recently embarked on a vast program of economic and social reforms that includes relaxing bans on women.
Saudi leaders, criticized for the kingdom's human rights abuses, have been using sport as a diplomatic lever for several years to improve the country's image on the international scene.
Latest example, early October: the acquisition of the English club Newcastle, 19th in the Premier League after 11 days.
