RIYADH: Ahead of the SAFF Women’s Cup final on Wednesday night, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah coaches and players have spoken to Arab News about their football journeys, and predicted a bright future for the women’s game in the Kingdom.
Taking place on March 19 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the match will feature two of the top teams in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning women’s football scene.
Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world, even at the level of Africa and Asia.
“The presence of players who meet high standards supports the Saudi league and draws more attention to it,” she said. “It has helped Saudi players to interact with experienced players, those who’ve played in the biggest international and global events. All of this benefits the Saudi players, the Saudi league, and the Saudi national team. I expect that in about three years, the Saudi women’s national team will reach a very high level.”
She highlighted the growth of female players in the Kingdom, noting a surge in new players under the age of 15.
“It’s all part of the infrastructure that the Saudi federation is working on in a sequential, excellent manner. Today, the mindset of the Saudi player has changed … Today, I’m seeing professionalism in the game. Saudi Arabia has started to show up on the scene.
“Their commitment beyond training, even off the field, is reflected in their performance, and it’s clear, whether in the achievements of the Saudi national team or the Saudi league. When I see a 19-year-old Saudi player running alongside a 30-year-old professional who’s played in Europe and the Champions League, that’s something truly impressive.”
Fraij said that the Saudi league had become desirable for players internationally, but she emphasized that the Kingdom’s players should be given the opportunity to play.
“We’ve seen this year’s signings — clubs have brought in players of a very high level,” she said. “Of course, it’s good; the more professionals there are, the better. But on the condition that Saudi players still get their chance in the league and in the cup, so that cohesion remains clear, and we keep building the foundation and gaining experience for the Saudi national team.”
Morocco international and Al-Ahli captain, Ibtissam Jraidi, said that the league this year was different to last year, pointing out that there had been major improvement and development.
“Even the efforts from the Saudi Federation to support Saudi girls in achieving their dreams, letting them play matches and play football, have made a difference,” she said. “Honestly, even the Saudi players themselves have improved a lot. I can see it clearly, even among the girls in my team and in other teams as well. They’ve developed so quickly, and that’s really nice and positive. The attention and support from the Saudi Federation are what helped them develop like this.”
The captain, who became the first Arab to score a goal at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, said that she prepares herself by focusing solely on the match.
“I don’t think about anything else so that I can perform at my true level on the field — to help my team and my teammates. My mind is on the match, and specifically on what I need to do on the field, and nothing else.”
Luis Andrade, head coach of Al-Qadsiah, told Arab News that the journey to the final had been built on belief, teamwork and determination.
“We have overcome big challenges to be here, and we are ready to take the next step,” he said. “Our players have shown incredible character throughout this competition, and we aim to make history for the club and our fans.”
Meanwhile, Al-Qadsiah captain Rayanne Machado said that playing in the final was a dream come true for their team.
“We have worked so hard to reach this stage, and we are fully prepared to fight for the title,” she said. “We respect Al-Ahli’s quality, but we believe in ourselves and our ability to bring this trophy home for Al-Qadsiah.”
This is the second SAFF Women’s Cup, which began in October, and saw 16 teams from both the Saudi Women’s Premier League and the Saudi Women’s First Division League competing for glory. A campaign by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, #SeeOurGlory, was launched earlier in the week to celebrate the event and encourage fans to attend the final.
Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah stars foresee bright future for Saudi game ahead of SAFF Women’s Cup final
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Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah stars foresee bright future for Saudi game ahead of SAFF Women’s Cup final
- The second competition will take place at Kingdom Arena on Wednesday night
- Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world
Saudi artist on track as work displayed at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
- Race Through Art competition launched in cooperation with Ministry of Sport
- ‘This message reflects our culture to the whole world,’ says winner Yara Al-Harthi
JEDDAH: Yara Al-Harthi, the winner of the Race Through Art competition, has captured the spirit of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in a powerful piece of artwork at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Al-Harthi’s artwork was displayed at the circuit ahead of the arrival of the pinnacle of motorsport in Jeddah.
The Race Through Art competition was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport, which invited amateur and professional artists to participate in designing artistic works that reflected the unique culture of the Kingdom. The winning artwork was displayed in the run-off area at the circuit ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian GP, which takes place on Sunday.
The aim of the competition was to provide a platform for creative Saudi talent to showcase their work. It was open to all Saudi nationals over the age of 18, living anywhere in the world, who wanted the opportunity to present their vision of the historic sporting occasion.
Al-Harthi said: “This design is not just an artwork: It is a message, and this message reflects our culture to the whole world, especially in the fifth edition (of the grand prix).
“I used bold colors at the circuit to reflect the spirit of enthusiasm and to increase the energy of fans, and also to make them notice the integration of culture … and the main landmarks in Saudi Arabia with the race.
“I am very happy and proud that I won the competition.”
UAE appoint Romanian Olaroiu to replace Bento as head coach
- The 55-year-old Romanian takes over from Portuguese Paulo Bento
- Olaroiu has spent the last three-and-a-half seasons with UAE club Sharjah
DUBAI: Cosmin Olaroiu has been appointed United Arab Emirates head coach, the country’s FA announced on Saturday.
The 55-year-old Romanian takes over from Portuguese Paulo Bento, who was fired last month despite a last-gasp win over North Korea in Asia’s World Cup qualifiers.
The UAE are third in Group A of the preliminaries for the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The first two finishers in each of Asia’s three groups progress automatically to the World Cup while the third- and fourth-placed teams advance to another round.
Iran have already claimed one of the two berths available from Group A while second-placed Uzbekistan are four points clear of the UAE with two matches remaining.
Olaroiu has spent the last three-and-a-half seasons with UAE club Sharjah, and last week guided the team into the final of the AFC Champions League Two.
He has worked extensively in the Gulf region, coaching Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Qatar’s Al-Sadd and Emirati side Al-Ain before moving to China, where he won the Chinese Super League title with Jiangsu Suning in 2020.
Olaroiu’s first game in charge of the UAE will be their World Cup qualifier at home to Uzbekistan on June 5. They then visit Kyrgyzstan in Group A five days later.
Former Croatia midfielder Nikola Pokrivač dies in car accident at age 39
- The federation announced that Pokrivač died Friday night in a car accident
- Pokrivač made 15 appearances for Croatia’s national team
ZAGREB: Nikola Pokrivač, a former Croatia national team midfielder who played at the 2008 European Championship, has died in a car accident, his country’s soccer federation said. He was 39.
The federation announced that Pokrivač died Friday night in a car accident in the city of Karlovac.
Pokrivač played for Dinamo Zagreb, Monaco and Salzburg before being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015.
Pokrivač made 15 appearances for Croatia’s national team.
Marijan Kustić, president of the Croatian Football Federation, called Pokrivač a “great football player” who “showed great courage in life by overcoming a terrible disease.” He offered condolences to Pokrivač’s family.
Dinamo said in a statement that Pokrivač was a talented midfielder who played 69 times for the team and participated in four championship titles.
F1 fans enjoy start of Saudi Arabian GP weekend at fan zone
JEDDAH: Fans from around the world enjoyed the first day of the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race weekend on Friday at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit fan zone.
The site, next to the racetrack, offered a range of experiences including F1 interactive simulators, sim racing, a pit stop challenge, an F1 show car, driver selfies in augmented reality and a virtual pit tour, all designed to bring fans closer to the sport.
There were also food trucks, live music, cutting-edge driving simulators, virtual racing games and several F1 cars for photo opportunities.
Many fans who spoke with Arab News said they had traveled from places such as Riyadh, Dammam, Hail, Taif, Madina and Jizan to experience the race in Jeddah.
“It is an amazing event and as a family we are really enjoying every bit of it. I was really looking forward to seeing a racing car close up, and this is what Formula 1 is all about,” said local Saudi businessman Fahad Al-Malki, there with his family from Jeddah.
He added: “It is an amazing experience from the moment you start arriving around the road. It is so organized. I love the way everyone is so cooperative while you walk in, people are smiling and everyone is welcoming you, I enjoy that. My family is here and you get different ages of groups and families are sitting together and they are enjoying it. It is an amazing experience.”
Meanwhile, Jimmy from Glasgow, Scotland, described the Formula 1 weekend as “amazing.”
“This is my first time to attend the F1 race and I am glad to see it here in Jeddah,” he said. “Besides watching the (racing) I also had the chance to explore the fan zone. It is incredible and the food court is fantastic. Simply, my friend and I are just having fun and enjoying everything here.”
Laisly, from the Philippines, said: “I am very surprised. I was really looking forward to seeing a racing car from close up, it is really an interesting event. I’m really excited to see the race and at the same time enjoy the atmosphere of the fan zone.”
She added: “For us as Filipinos who are working here in Saudi Arabia, it is really one of a kind and hopefully these kinds of events will continue and recently there are many opportunities to see a race like this.”
Dortmund to treat every game as a final in bid for top four, says Gross
- “In this stadium, with the fans, you can beat any team in the world. (Missing out) on that would hurt a lot,” Gross told reporters on Saturday
Borussia Dortmund will approach every match like a final as they push for a top four finish in the Bundesliga, midfielder Pascal Gross said ahead of Sunday’s home game against seventh-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Dortmund are eighth in the table with 42 points from 29 games, their worst position since 2014-15 when they finished seventh. They trail fourth-placed RB Leipzig by six points with five games remaining in the season.
Dortmund’s confidence in securing a European spot has grown, with Gross seeing his side’s 3-1 midweek home win over Barcelona in the Champions League as a boost, despite the side losing 5-3 on aggregate, which eliminated them from the competition.
“In this stadium, with the fans, you can beat any team in the world. (Missing out) on that would hurt a lot,” Gross told reporters on Saturday.
“That’s why we need to do everything in our power in the final five games to get as many points as we possibly can. This season is crazy. We’ve almost lost too many games already to be able to reach that goal.
“But when you look at the table, you can see that anything is possible. The next five games are all finals for us.”
The 33-year-old added that the team was more cohesive now, “I feel like we’re more solid now. If one person makes a mistake, someone else smoothes it out for him. That helps you to trust in what you’re doing.”
Dortmund manager Nico Kovac called for more passion and aggression in the next five games and said captain Emre Can and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who missed the Barcelona game with injury, are in contention to feature against Gladbach.
