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February 14, 2024
Regional teams still draw sparse crowds, but Al Hilal boasts spectacular growth in support.
According to the Saudi Pro League, overall game attendance has increased by 5% this Tuesday compared to last year.
The biggest success story this season is Al Hilal, which is currently at the top of the attendance charts, tripling its average from the 2022/23 season. The club’s first 10 home games have drawn an impressive 268,419 fans, averaging 26,842 per match, compared to just 8,490 during the first half of last season.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr is closely followed in second place with an average attendance of 20,297, roughly the same as last season. They are trailed by Jeddah rivals Al Ittihad and Al Ahli, with average attendances of 19,870 and 17,544, respectively.
Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq has seen a 45 percent increase in attendance this season, bolstered by high-profile signings like Jordan Henderson (who has since left), Gini Wijnaldum, and Moussa Dembélé. The Dammam-based club opened a new stadium earlier this season, moving from the municipal Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium.
On the other end of the spectrum, the newly promoted Al Riyadh has recorded the lowest average attendance in the league, bringing in just 1,394 fans per game. The fourth team in the capital has not played top-division football since 2005. It has seen some of the lowest individual match turnouts, with only 133 fans attending their game against Al Okhdood and just 144 for their match against Al Khaleej.
Despite the struggles at the lower end, the league continues to attract large crowds for marquee fixtures, including city derbies in Riyadh and Jeddah and clashes between the four Public Investment Fund-owned clubs.
A video released by the SPL highlighting the top 10 most-watched matches of the 2023/24 season reveals that four games attracted over 50,000 fans. Notably, the Jeddah derby between Al Ittihad and Al Ahli drew 55,764 supporters at King Abdullah Sports City. At the same time, the Riyadh derby between Al Hilal and Al Nassr saw 50,561 fans at King Fahd International Stadium.
As Saudi Arabia aims to elevate its domestic league to one of the top 10 in the world by 2030, increasing attendance and improving stadium infrastructure have become pressing priorities. However, a strong culture of supporting the traditional top four clubs—Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli—often overshadows support for provincial teams, with fans across the kingdom more closely identifying with these giants than with their regional clubs.
A geographical analysis from the league shows that clubs in the southern regions, such as Asir and Najran, which include Abha, Damac, and Al Okhdood, need help to draw fans, averaging just 3,255 attendees per match. In contrast, the Eastern region, home to Al Ettifaq, Al Fateh, and Al Khaleej, averages just over 7,000 fans per game.
In the eastern region, additional challenges arise from the popularity of other sports. For instance, Al Khaleej has averaged under 4,000 fans per match, ranking 13th out of 18 teams. Their handball team, reigning Asian champions, enjoys considerable support in Saihat and the surrounding area, often overshadowing the football team.
As the kingdom prepares to host several international events, including the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and possibly the FIFA World Cup 2034, the anticipation is creating excitement within the football ecosystem. However, it also means that many stadiums designated for these events will require significant renovations to meet hosting standards.
A prime example is the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s largest stadium. It is currently closed for a complete overhaul, which is expected to take over two years to complete for the Asian Cup. As a result, crowds of 50,000 will be absent from the capital for the next two seasons, with the next largest stadium in Riyadh only seating 25,000. Once renovations are finished, the stadium’s capacity will exceed 75,000.
These challenges are likely to negatively impact league attendance numbers. However, the SPL can focus on provincial and smaller clubs to achieve its goal of becoming one of the top leagues in the world. Derbies in regions like Asir, Qassim, and the Eastern Province have the potential to become significant domestic attractions, and a shift in fan culture towards supporting these teams will be crucial for realizing the SPL’s ambitions.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and football sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Football News Today, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for football, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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