Al-Ahli Saudi FC (women)

Al-Ahli Saudi Women Football Club (Arabic: النادي الأهلي السعودي لسيدات, romanized: an-nādī al-ʿahlī as-saʿūdī li-sāyīdāt), or known simply as Al-Ahli Ladies, is a women's football club based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was established in 2022 as the women's section of the homonymous club, following an acquisition of the sporting license of Miras Women Football Club.

The team compete in the Saudi Women's Premier League, the top flight in Saudi national football, since its debut in the inaugural 2022–23.

History

Formation (2022)

On October 6, 2022, it was announced by Saudi Arabian Football Federation that Al-Ahli officially completed its acquisition of Miras Jeddah Club, a club from the Women's Premier League 2022–2023 season. as They joined the list of professional sports clubs participating in the Women's Premier League alongside Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ittihad.

Revamp: Key signings and season turnaround (2022–present)

Following the intention of Saudi Arabian Football Federation to promote and professionalize the women's football league. Al-Ahli announced the appointment of Jordanian coach Manar Fraij to manage the team, an ex-international player and former coach of the Jordanian women's youth national team. Al-Ahli later announced the signings of five international players from the North African region, namely Algerian Abla Bensenouci and Tunisian quartet Salima Jobrani, Sana Yaakoubi, Yasmine Jemai and Aya Jeddi.

after the conclusion of 2022 CAF Women's Champions League season, Al-Ahli went on to sign the top-scorer of the tournament ASFAR and Morocco women's national team forwards Ibtissam Jraïdi which was described as the major money deal and the largest in the continents (Africa and Asia) for a women's football player transfer. Jraïdi's signing played a pivotal role in the team's turnaround from a challenging first half of the season, where Al-Ahli secured only two wins out of seven matches. With Jraïdi on board, the team achieved three wins, one draw, and narrowly lost matches, ultimately securing a 6th position out of 8. Jraïdi also emerged as the runner-up in the top scorers' list.

As the 2023–24 season commenced, Al-Ahli gained confidence and set their sights on winning the league. Notable signings included Ghanaian striker Alice Kusi, Jordanian goalkeeper Rwand Kassab, and defender Ayah Al-Majali, aimed at fortifying the team.

Taking part in the debut edition of the 2023–24 SAFF Women's Cup, Al-Ahli displayed utter dominance. They began by overpowering Al Bayraq with a resounding 17–1 victory in the round of 16. Their journey continued with a thrilling 4–3 win over league title holder Al Nassr in the quarterfinals. In a nail-biting semi-final match against Al Qadsiah, Al-Ahli secured a narrow 3–2 win. Ultimately, in the historic final, Al-Ahli emerged victorious, clinching the inaugural cup after beating Al-Shabab 3–2 to be crowned the first-ever champions.

Season by season

Players

As of 18 November 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Managerial history

Below is a list of Al-Ahli Women coaches from 2022 until the present day.

Honours

Saudi Women's Premier League:

• Runners-up (1): 2023–24

SAFF Women's Cup:

• Champions (1; record): 2023–24

References

External links

• Al-Ahli Saudi FC on X