Quassay Al Fawaz was elected President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) on October 3 during the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly meeting (2018-2022).
Al Fawaz has ambitious plans that include raising the national team’s global ranking to the 40th place from the current 70th. He has also appointed the first female board members. They include Adwa Al Arifi, previously a member within the commission of social responsibility of SAFF; and Reham Al Onaizan, who brings rich experience in planning and project management from the private sector, Centre for International Communication (CIC) reported.
"We are confident about the situation of our national team before the Asian Cup tournament; we will be preparing our team to achieve the best possible results. We believe that our football has the right capabilities to reach a global stage,"Al Fawaz said.
He planned to send more players from the Kingdom to top foreign leagues - a move that took effect this year - and to place Saudi Premiere League – rechristened MBS League - among the top 10 in the world.
His programme designated "The Rise of Saudi Football", will also see an increase in the number of national coaches and specialised football scouts for recruiting to discover more new talent in Saudi Arabia.
The plan was inspired by 2030 Vision spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He said the plan would support all three pillars of the Vision: creating a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation.
Football is one of the most popular sports among women in Saudi Arabia. Football stadiums were opened to women last year when thousands of women flocked to watch at different stadiums to watch football matches.
The SAFF management has set the tone for its future with the new appointments, which mean 20 percent of its board members are women. The General Sports Authority (GSA) itself, which was set up two years ago, has 10 per cent women on its staff at the leadership level. Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Deputy of Planning and Development for the Saudi Arabian General Sports Authority, who championed for family inclusion in the sport, attended the meeting.
"Football in Saudi Arabia has always unified us as families behind TV screens, and now inside stadiums, to support our clubs and national teams who made us happy and proud for years. It is such an honor to be able to serve the youth and families of Saudi Arabia through football," Al Arifi said. "For us, football is more than a sport, it’s a rich cultural activity that brings us all together."
