'Saudi Arabia will dominate women's football and have best league soon', expert says

'Saudi Arabia will dominate women's football and have best league soon', expert says,EXCLUSIVE An expert in Middle Eastern football has predicted Saudi Arabia will try to conquer the women's game after putting their stamp on men's football this summer

‘Saudi Arabia will dominate women’s football and have best league soon’, expert says

Saudi Arabia have already made a huge splash in men's football – and the women's game could be next.

The oil-rich Middle Eastern country has shaken up footballer's world order this summer, tempting tens of high-profile stars to the Gulf state. Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr towards the end of 2022 started the influx of elite level players to Saudi Arabia.

The former Manchester United hero has been followed by the likes of Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson and Robert Firmino as more and more players chase the Saudi dollar and make the move. While the Premier League and Europe's other top divisions are still processing the arrival of a new behemoth in the global game, it may not be long before the big-spending Saudis make their mark elsewhere.

That's according to Middle Eastern football expert Liam Weeks, who believes the Kingdom will dominate the women's game in years to come, just as they're trying to do with the men.

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"In the global football world, Saudi are going to be dominating women’s football in the next 5-10 years," Weeks said in an exclusive chat with Daily Star Sport. "I fully expect them to have the biggest – and the best – women’s football league in the world.

"People might think that I’m crazy because of the historic human rights record of Saudi Arabia, but the Crown Prince has really been working hard behind the scenes to improve things for women’s rights."

Can you see Saudi dominating the women's game? Let us know in the comments section below

The Saudi women's national team only played their first game in 2022 (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

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Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr have won the last two iterations of the Saudi Women's Premier League

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr have won the last two iterations of the Saudi Women's Premier League (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

There is also a 30-team First Division, which is the second-tier of Saudi women's football, comprised of six regional groups in a home and away format.

The women's league in Saudi is already attracting top talent from abroad, including Englishwoman Kelly Lindsey, who was appointed Al Ettihad boss in July.

"Al Etihad have started already and their women’s Instagram has something like 38,000 followers," Weeks continues. "They’re investing a lot of money, but they want to host the Asian Women’s Games and qualify for the World Cup."

Middle Eastern football expert Liam Weeks spoke to us about Saudi's ambitions when it comes to the women's game (Image: Liam Weeks)

That's a grand statement, particularly for a country that didn't even have a women's national team until 2022. The Green Falcons are currently ranked 170th in the world, 18th off the bottom and below the likes of the Cayman Islands, Liberia and the Maldives.

Their lofty ambition to play at a World Cup in the near future may seem at odds with those statistics and their appalling record on women's rights. But Saudi have already shown this summer that they mean business with their global football aims and only a fool would write them off.

Weeks concluded by saying: "It could be very interesting to keep an eye on not just for Saudi Arabia but for the Gulf as a whole."