The next big thing is here! Saudi Pro League (SPL), also known as the Roshn Saudi League, is the biggest football federation in the Saudi region. It all began in 1976-77 because, up until the 1950s, football was considered only a regional game. But, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it has transformed into a game of elite international players.
In the Saudi Pro League, the transfer window opens dominated by biddings on big names. Hold your seats when we tell you this year’s signing spree went up to a whopping $1bn (approximately). World-level players, such as Neymar and Karim Benzema have tied up with respective teams in the League during this summer transfer.
Where to Watch the Saudi Pro League?
In the UAE region, people can catch the match on MBC Shahid, on SonyLIV in India, and on Dazn in the UK.
There have been lenient Saudi Arabia tourist visa processing rules after the introduction of eVisa, allowing the audience to enjoy the Pro League matches live in huge numbers. People are coming from across the world to witness the magic of top footballers.
Saudi Pro League Latest News 2023
- Summer transfers have been closed.
- Brazil captain Neymar exclaimed in an interview that there is a chance that Saudi Arabia’s football league could be better than French Ligue 1.
What are the Dates of the Saudi Pro League 2023-24?
Saudi Pro League is being held from 11th August 2023 to 24th May 2024.
What are the teams playing?
There are a total of 18 teams that participated in the Saudi Pro League. It has increased over the 16 teams that played last year. The Big Four of the Saudi Pro League are Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Ittihad. About 87% of the investment is splashed out on these four big boys. Each team is allowed eight foreign players, making it one of the most sensational matches in the world.
Which is the No. 1 team in the Saudi Pro League?
One of the most successful football clubs in Asia, Riyadh-based Al Hilal, has won the League 18 times. The team has even bagged the AFC Champions League titles four times. It is followed by the second-best team, Al Nassr. They had a historic era in the Asian Cup during the 1990s.
What are the top players in the Saudi Pro League?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the top scorer in the Saudi League as he hit his 850th career goal, which is a total of clubs and international games joined. He reached this milestone in a match against Al-Hazem on Saturday, 2nd September. Other than him, Moroccan forward Abderrrazak Hamdallah of Al Ittihad has maximum goals to date. Also, Majed Abdullah is a former footballer with an all-time leading goalscorer of 72 scores.
Saudi Pro League Transfers
Saudi Pro League is one of the highest-paying football clubs. It splashes the cash to bring the most well-received and celebrated international players. Cristiano Ronaldo turned many heads when he joined the league last season. Many names have been announced later. Neymar, N’golo Kante, Karim Benzema, Sado Mane and Riyad Mahrez are a few names on the top of the ladder. After making unpredictable deals with these soccer superstars, the Saudi Pro League transfer window has finally shut for this season. Stats say the transfers have splashed around $1bn, since its opening on July 1.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken the football spirit to new heights. Under its investment wing, this Pro League gets a great deal of business. Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund, Public Investment Fund, handled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has bought four clubs: Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.
Which players have moved to Saudi Arabia?
There have been some groundbreaking transfers in SPL this season. There were talks in the town to draw the most acclaimed duo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, but there was no breakthrough. Al Hilal offered $332 million for French footballer Mbappe, but unfortunately, things didn’t work out.
Here are the top game-changers we can see in this Saudi Pro League:
Neymar joined Al Hilal.
Football turned over a new page when the world saw Neymar transfer from Barcelona to PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) at $240 million in 2017 – which still remains one of the most monstrous and exorbitant fees ever. Here is the biggest tea – Al Hilal offered a lucrative deal, and now Neymar has quit PSG. HE has been offered $98 million with add-ons. Plus, he would be make it big with his annual salary of USD 100 million
Aymeric Laporte joined Al Nassr.
Saying goodbye to Manchester after five and a half years, Aymeric has joined the Al Nassr team at a fee of $26 million per season.
Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante joined A Ittihad.
Ballon d’Or winner Benzema has signed a 3-year contract with Al Ittihad.
Sadio Mane joined Al Nassr.
Sadio Mane is set to share legs with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League as he teamed up with Al Nassr for a 4-year deal.
Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly have also come aboard. Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho frokm Liverpool.
Players are earning a whopping amount in the League. While Kante earns $100 million per season, Benzema gets $2000 million a year. Neymar has secured a $275 million deal in a 2-year contract with Al Hilal. Also, the team has pushed forward by signing Ruben Neves for $55 million from Wolves and Kalidou Koulibay for $23 million from Chelsea. Edouard Mendy has also taken up at $18.5 million.
Is Ronaldo playing in the Saudi Pro League?
It was Cristiano Ronaldo’s affiliation with SPL that brought this tournament into the mainstream media. People were seen rubbing their eyes when they finally found Cristiano Ronaldo doing what he does best on the grounds of Saudi Arabia. Even this year, Ronaldo is integral to the Saudi Pro League. He gets paid $200 million a year.
Conclusion
Said Arabia has recently started to embrace tourists from across the globe. It has begun to break its previous extreme conservative image by opening the doors to non-Muslim and single women tourists. Overall, this Pro League is a step towards better tourism.
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