SAFF Launches Academy Development Project for 68 Clubs

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has launched a project to develop club academies aimed at strengthening the pathway for young football talent across the Kingdom. Set to begin in September 2026, the program covers 68 club academies in the Saudi Pro League, First Division, and Second Division.

The project seeks to establish unified technical and administrative standards for academies, improve the identification and development of players, and smooth their transition from academies to first teams and national squads. It also aims to introduce standardized training curricula and build a sustainable national talent pipeline aligned with the sports goals of Vision 2030.

How the project will work

Implementation runs through three evaluation cycles extending until 2030. The first cycle begins in the 2026–2027 season and covers all 68 academies with comprehensive and interim assessments. Later cycles focus on monitoring progress, re-evaluation, and measuring development outcomes.

Each academy will undergo a baseline assessment of its structure, staffing, facilities, and player pathway, followed by club-specific improvement plans and capacity-building programs covering technical, organizational, and educational areas. International benchmarking and performance indicators will be used to rate academy quality. The Belgian company Double Pass, which specializes in academy evaluation and development, is the technical partner.

The initiative is integrated with a youth competitions development project that started in the 2024–2025 season, restructuring age-group leagues. Youth leagues now cover age groups 11 to 14, linked to the Under-15 official leagues, and involve government clubs, private academies, commercial clubs, and regional training centers, with 478 participants across the age-group leagues. A SAR 75 million initiative supports age-group programs at public and private clubs and accredited academies. For families across Riyadh, Jeddah, and other cities, the project promises clearer, better-organized pathways for young players hoping to reach professional football.

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