SPL Announces New Strategy to Secure International Players

According to the Saudi Pro League (SPL), a new strategy will be adapted to drive competitiveness on and off the pitch along with shedding light on enhancing the young Saudi talents and securing the best international talents and enhancing the governing of all clubs on the long term.

The SPL will increase the playing time of young Saudi players in the league in accordance with the new rules & regulations that will be revealed ahead of the upcoming season. The SPL will also reduce the age of eligibility from 18 years old to 16 years old, with immediate effect for the 2023-2024 season.

A further step focused on youth development will also witness the decrease of squad sizes from the current number of 35 players overall, to 25 senior players with the remaining 10 squad members all having to be under the age of 21 years old, from the 2025-2026 season.

The new SPL strategy aims to create a clear pathway for young Saudi players, helping them transition from youth team football to the top tier of the country's football league.

From the 2026-2027 season onward, the SPL also announced a mandate on clubs to include 8 "homegrown" players from their club academies in their main roster of 25 squad players, with 4 of them being direct graduates from the club's system.

In a continuous effort to create elite squads that have the combination of upcoming young Saudi talent with world-class international players and role models, the SPL has launched a new Player Acquisition Center of Excellence (PACE).

Saudi Pro League interim CEO and Vice Chairman Saad Al-Lazeez stated: “The Saudi Pro League has an incredible and vital opportunity to help fulfill the country’s football ambitions and inspire more of our people into football and sport.”