JEDDAH: Saudi football clubs are appealing directly to female fans for support through ad campaigns and social media as women are allowed into stadiums for the first time on Friday.
The official Twitter account for Al-Ittihad directed a tweet toward the club’s female fans on Tuesday. It said that women were powerful agents in the success of the team, just like their male counterparts.
Two weeks ago, a campaign was launched for fans to show their support for their favorite teams through SMS texts. Al-Ittihad’s tweet is riding on the hype surrounding women attending the club’s match.
Al-Ittihad’s offical tweet generated a massive response from the team’s lovers and haters alike. Elaaf tweeted: “We’re finally being addressed as a part of Ittihad’s fanclub.”
Many couldn’t believe they were finally being noticed. One Twitter user said: “I never thought I’d live to see such a tweet, we’re all here for you.”
Others such as Twitter user Shikha provided proof of their contribution by posting photos of the sent text, while many women declared they were now switching support to Al-Ittihad for being the first to address them as an audience.
One die-hard fan tweeted: “I will attend the classico match and I’ll even pay for tickets for other girls attending.”
Dedicated Al-Ittihad female fans are preparing to attend the club’s first match of the year against Al-Hilal on Jan. 13, in Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium. Al-Ahli fans will be called on to show up for a Jeddah match against the visiting Al-Batin team on Friday in the King Abdullah Sports City stadium.
The General Sports Authority (GSA) revealed the seating plan for the Riyadh match. Inside the stadium, women will occupy the northern area through gates two, three and four, and the southern area through gates 40, 41 and 42. They are are expected to fill 7,500 seats.
Head of the Saudi Federation for Sports Media, Raja Al-Sulami, told Arab News that they have made the stadium ready to receive women. He added: “In cooperation with the Saudi Federation for Community Sports, we have made all necessary arrangements to receive them in an atmosphere that respects their privacy.” He added that there are 14,000 seats at the Jeddah’s “Shining Jewel” stadium ready for the occasion.
A tweet from the official account of Al-Ahli football club
The GSA also announced a new category for VVIPs with a single ticket costing SR10,000 ($2,666) in all Saudi professional league matches, beginning with Friday’s round 17 match between Al-Ahli and Al-Batin. The tweet was met with disbelief from both Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal fans, who called the price “outrageous.”
Fahad Al-Zahrani, an Al-Ahli club board member and director of the club’s media center, told Arab News that the attendance of the president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports, Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, emphasized the importance of the event.
“Through our Twitter page, we have also posted some instructions for entering the stadium. We also gave women that are going to attend the match some information about the stadium facilities, such as bathrooms, praying zones and even medical clinics that they can visit in cases they need to,” Al-Zahrani said.
Many Saudi women celebrities reacted to the news of the weekend matches positively.
Shoura Council member and founder of the Jeddah United basketball team Lina Almaeena told Arab News: “I’m ecstatic! It’s a historical moment in Saudi for women. It’s a huge alternative for them to go to the stadium together and enjoy their time, other than going to malls or dining out. It’ll have an impact on many levels, socially, economically and on a family level.”
Almaeena is thrilled and will attend the other football match that will be held on Friday between Al-Ahli and Al-Batin in Jeddah.
Hadeel Al-Shumrani, the first Saudi Zumba trainer and also an actress, is a big football fan. “For me Al-Ittihad is not just a club it is more than that, as you can see in most of the matches how the spirit of the fans and how they encourage their team,” she told Arab News.
“I would absolutely attend the game with my friends,” she added. “I believe such activities are very useful for women to enrich our sports knowledge and it also grows positive competition spirit, hopefully we will be able to participate in games in the coming years.”
Diehard female national football fans are also looking forward to the big day.
“I never thought I’d ever be able to attend a football match in Saudi! I will be at the soccer match to support my team! Hilal all the way!” 19-year-old Sara Abdul-Aziz said.
The excitement and enthusiasm is contagious. For decades, female fans would have to watch games on TV screens; now they have a chance to see the action live.
Rania bin Yassin, a mother of four, told Arab News: “I’d love to attend with my brothers. They always go the matches together, but this time, I will attend with them! It’s definitely a new experience that I’m looking forward to!”
Women are gearing up with face paint and team shirts to show their support and enthusiasm. Dedicated female soccer fans have previously traveled abroad to watch the matches and cheer their teams on.
Muna AbuSulayman, a Saudi presenter and the first Saudi broadcaster to appear on Arab satellite channels, and co-host of one of MBC’s most popular social programs, Kalam Nawaem, told Arab News: “I actually don’t care about football at all. However, I think it is an overdue decision that will help girls to participate in the ecosystem of sports.”
She added, “I love reading about how the stadiums are working hard to accommodate women from bathrooms to eating areas.”
Lama Al-Sulaiman, who was elected deputy chairwoman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in December 2009, becoming the first female to hold such a post in Saudi history, told Arab News: “I am not one of the football fans, but I am happy with this event and this good initiative. I also think that the most important thing that will result from the attendance of matches is bonding between family members, providing a modern environment in which the inhabitants of the city meet.”
She added, “The sense of enthusiasm and participation of sports and leisure will reflect on respecting the systems of events and dealing with people, will also increase confidence and good faith in the behavior of our youth.”
Yomn Luqman, a sports journalist who declined to mention which club is her favorite, told Arab News: “As this game will be the first match with women attendees after the historical decision of the sports authority, I believe it will have a huge number of attendees and I received many calls from football fans asking about what to wear and how to enter the stadium.”
She added: “These days the weather is very beautiful in the Kingdom, which will help people to enjoy it more. It is worth mentioning that women now really care to attend the match more than they care for which club they want to win.”
The first opportunity for Saudi female football fans to attend a football match was in 2015 in London during the Saudi Super Cup final. That was the first appearance of Saudi women in a football stadium attending a match between two Saudi clubs.
Nahed Fahad, who attended the match, said: “It was fantastic and exciting. The guys were well behaved and there were no crazy antics, like many portray. I went with my daughter and we had a good time in London, and I look forward to going with her again in Riyadh.”
International matches that feature the Saudi national squad have always had female fans. However, sports, and especially football, have been viewed as a masculine activity.
Playing any kind of sport used to be difficult for women in Saudi Arabia, since public female practice of physical sports was a socially controversial issue. Before the Ministry of Education announced in July 2017 that girls in public schools would receive physical education by the start of the 2017-2018 academic year, girls did not have access to physical education, except in some private schools.
In 2016, the Saudi Cabinet appointed Princess Reema as undersecretary for the women’s section of the General Authority for Sports, becoming the first woman to hold a government sports position in the Kingdom.
— With input from Noor Nugali, Aseel Bashraheel & Ruba Obaid.
Saudi football clubs call on women fans to kick off historic weekend matches
Saudi football clubs call on women fans to kick off historic weekend matches
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Standing alongside passionate, innovative teachers from around the world humbling and inspiring: Saudi teacher
- Saeed Salem Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a primary teacher from Jubail, named in the top 50 shortlist for $1 million GEMS Global Teacher Prize 2026
RIYADH: Saeed Salem Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a primary school teacher at Al-Mutrafiyah Elementary School in Jubail Industrial City, has been shortlisted for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2026.
Al-Zahrani has been named on the top 50 shortlist for the prize, a Varkey Foundation initiative organized in collaboration with UNESCO.
He was selected from over 5,000 nominations and applications from 139 countries.
Now in its 10th year, the $1 million prize is the largest of its kind. It was set up to recognize one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession as well as to shine a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society.
By unearthing thousands of stories of heroes who have transformed young people’s lives, the prize hopes to bring to life the exceptional work of teachers all over the world.
Reacting to his shortlisting, Al-Zahrani told Arab News: “I am extremely honored to be among the top 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize. Standing alongside so many passionate and innovative teachers from around the world is both humbling and inspiring.
“I extend my sincere thanks to the Varkey Foundation, GEMS Education, and UNESCO for recognizing the vital work that teachers carry out every day. Teachers everywhere help ignite curiosity and give young people the confidence to pursue their ambitions, and I am proud to be part of this mission,” he added.
“This prize has provided us a global platform to amplify the voice of teachers and has entrusted us with a deeper responsibility to continue working toward more impactful and humane education — one that believes the mission of education transcends borders and makes a real difference in the lives of individuals and communities,” he said.
Al-Zahrani is a distinguished Saudi educator, renowned for his innovative programs and commitment to inclusive, high-quality education. Teaching at Al-Mutrafiyah Elementary School. He has developed initiatives such as “The Challenge,” “Maher,” and “Steps,” improving reading, writing, and learning outcomes for students of all abilities.
These programs have been adopted in Royal Commission kindergartens and praised by the Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan.
Holding a doctorate in linguistics and a masters in counseling psychology, Al-Zahrani integrates storytelling, interactive digital tools, and personalized learning to ensure every student reaches their potential.
He has published research in peer-reviewed journals, presented internationally, and trained teachers across Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Founder of the Global Teacher Prize, GEMS Education, and The Varkey Foundation, Sunny Varkey, said: “Congratulations, Saeed. The Global Teacher Prize was created with a simple mission: to shine a light on teachers like you — educators whose dedication, creativity, and compassion deserve to be celebrated and shared with the world. Your work extends far beyond the classroom — it touches lives and shapes the world.”
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini, said: “Congratulations to this year’s top 50 finalists. UNESCO is honored to stand alongside the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating the extraordinary commitment of teachers everywhere. Our world is navigating profound challenges — from teacher shortages and rapid technological shifts to the urgent demands of climate action. If we are to build a just, inclusive and sustainable future, we must recognize a simple truth: we cannot rise to this moment unless we invest in teachers.”
GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading private K-12 education providers, educating more than 200,000 students of more than 175 nationalities across its global network of owned and managed schools. With nearly half a million alumni, GEMS has built a legacy of impact that spans generations and continents. Established in Dubai in 1959, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organization.
The prize is open to working teachers who teach children in compulsory schooling or who are between the ages of 5-18. Teachers who educate children age 4 and over in a government-recognized curriculum are also eligible, as are teachers working on a part-time basis, and teachers of online courses. It is open to teachers in every kind of school and, subject to local laws, in every country in the world.
Teachers applying for the Global Teacher Prize are assessed on teaching practices, how they innovate to address local challenges, achieve demonstrable learning outcomes, impact the community beyond the classroom, help children become global citizens, improve the teaching profession, and gain recognition from external bodies.
The prize will now be narrowed down to the top 10 finalists, and the winner will be chosen by the Global Teacher Prize Academy, made up of prominent individuals, and announced at the World Governments Summit, taking place in Dubai Feb. 3-5, 2026.
