The Saudi Professional League participated in the World Football Summit (WFS) conference as a strategic partner. In a move that reflects its commitment to developing football and consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a global sports destination.
The World Football Summit, which was hosted by the King Abdullah Financial Center in the capital, Riyadh, witnessed wide participation from leaders of the global football industry, as thousands of officials and decision-makers gathered to discuss the most prominent trends, challenges and opportunities in the world of football.
This event, which strengthens the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s position in global football, is an important step towards achieving the ambitious 2030 vision to increase the sports sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product.
Omar Mugharbel, CEO of the Saudi Professional League, explained the reasons behind the emergence of the Saudi Roshan League as a disruptive force in global football, during a discussion session entitled “Inside the Revolution: Unveiling the Transformation of the Saudi Professional League,” on the opening day of the event.
In response to the question “Why now?” The CEO of the Saudi Professional League responded: “Because football runs in our blood, quite simply. We are a nation that loves football, and we grew up watching and playing football in our neighborhoods and schools.” He added: “With all the transformations taking place in all sectors, it was natural for us to build a national product that we are all proud of and that we can export to the rest of the world.”
Omar Magharbel added: “Our participation in the World Football Summit represents an important opportunity to present our ambitious vision for developing Saudi football, and share our experiences with football industry leaders from all over the world.”
Magharbel stressed that the goal of the Saudi Professional League is not to compete with the established European leagues or create competitions with them, but rather to contribute to the development of football globally, “and we are proud of our contribution to the development of football in the Kingdom and the region.”
The league has seen tremendous growth over the past 18 months, including revenue, contract sponsorships, broadcast deals, and total attendance.
The league’s growth is reflected through its digital channels, as the number of followers of the Saudi Professional League accounts on social media has increased by more than 230% since June 2023, with the launch of 6 new accounts in Arabic, English and Chinese, and the Saudi Professional League clubs added a total of 45 million new followers in the same time. Period.
For his part, Mohammed Basrawi, General Manager of Marketing, Communications and Content at the Saudi Professional League, pointed out the league’s focus on telling stories outside the 90-minute window through short content, including “behind the scenes” mobile phone content, and long-form video content.
On the closing day of the World Football Summit, Mughrabel met with representatives of the Japanese League and the Malaysian League in a discussion session entitled “Football in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities,” highlighting the Saudi Professional League’s partnership with the Japanese League, which was signed in May 2024, as a model. How the league cooperates with the Asian and global football community to exchange experiences and develop competition.
