In a significant event underscoring the growing international ties in women’s sports, His Royal Highness Prince William, the Prince of Wales, observed a daily training session for female athletes during his official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The session, held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, took place at the Mohammed bin Salman Non-Profit City “Misk” and was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Minister of Sport.
During his visit, the Prince of Wales engaged with players, as well as technical and administrative staff. Lamia bin Bihian, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, provided a comprehensive overview of the evolution of women’s football within the Kingdom. She detailed the concerted efforts to support and empower female athletes, highlighting the Federation’s pivotal role in player development and elevating technical performance as part of its broader objectives to advance the women’s sports sector.
A Framework for Growth and Equality
The progress outlined by Bin Bihian is the result of a structured, multi-faceted strategy implemented over the past five years. A cornerstone of this development has been the establishment of 5 national teams: the senior team, futsal, and the U-20, U-17, and U-15 squads. Concurrently, the launch of 10 competitions, including the flagship Saudi Women’s Premier League, has created a competitive platform. This league itself boasts a diverse roster of 50 international players from 20 different nationalities, all competing for Saudi clubs.
Further expanding the talent pipeline, the Federation has founded 6 regional training centers for girls across the Kingdom. These centers welcome participants from the ages of six to fifteen and have been instrumental in registering 1,800 players. To support this burgeoning ecosystem, more than 35 referees and over 1,000 qualified coaches have been trained.
Bin Bihian emphasized that these initiatives are executed within a comprehensive framework designed to ensure parity. This includes equal pay, allowances, and accommodation for female and male players, alongside equitable access to training facilities and equipment. “Under the leadership of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and His Royal Highness the Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Vision 2030 places paramount importance on providing opportunities to develop women’s sports across the country,” she stated.
Reflecting on the journey’s inception, Bin Bihian added, “I still remember 2021, when we first announced talent discovery trials. The Minister of Sport attended and personally supervised the session.” The scale of growth since then is evident in programs like the girls’ school leagues, which today involve 77,000 participants—a figure that stood at zero just five years prior.
This entire trajectory reflects the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s commitment to developing players and enhancing technical performance, aligning seamlessly with the Kingdom’s broader direction to uplift and strengthen the women’s sports sector.
Concluding the engagement, Prince William met with the young players in a cordial atmosphere, offering them words of encouragement and advice. He also interacted with the technical and administrative staff, with the session conducted in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Minister of Sport.