Saudi Arabia women's national football team

Saudi Arabia
Nickname(s)الأخضر (The Green)
الصقور الخضر (The Green Falcons)
الصقور العربية (The Arabian Falcons)
AssociationSaudi Arabian Football Federation
(الاتحاد العربي السعودي لكرة القدم)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
Head coachMonika Staab
CaptainSara Khaled
Top scorerAl-Bandari Mubarak (3)
FIFA codeKSA
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
CurrentNR (25 March 2022)[1]
First international
 Saudi Arabia 2–0 Seychelles 
(Malé, Maldives, 20 February 2022)
Biggest win
 Saudi Arabia 2–0 Seychelles 
(Malé, Maldives, 20 February 2022)
 Maldives 0–2 Saudi Arabia 
(Malé, Maldives, 24 February 2022)
This article is about the women's team. For the men's team, see Saudi Arabia national football team.

The Saudi Arabia women's national football team (Arabic: منتخب السعودي لكرة القدم للسيدات) is the official women's national football team of the country of Saudi Arabia. The team is controlled by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the governing body for football in Saudi Arabia.

Colloquially called "the Green Falcons", Saudi Arabia played their first match in 2022 against the Seychelles in a 2–0 win in a friendly tournament in the Maldives.

History
Main article: Women's football in Saudi Arabia

Background

Due to the influence of religious leaders in Saudi Arabia, active opposition of political leaders and sport administrators, and systematic discrimination against women's sport, a women's national team could not exist for long time.[2] The creation of a FIFA-recognised women's national team was banned by law in 2008.[3] Systemic discrimination remained intact despite limited reforms, until the death of King Abdullah in 2015.[4]

With King Salman's ascension to the throne in 2015, talks about football reforms escalated. However, his son Mohammed bin Salman was the first to spearheaded the reforms, including women's football.[5] Saudi Arabia allowed women to attend football games since 2017, the first step for a future creation of a women's football team.[6]

In December 2019, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) organised the first unofficial women's competition in the Jeddah area.[7] An official nationwide tournament, the semi-professional Saudi Women's Football League, was launched in February 2020.[8] Following the creation of the league, calls for a creation of a women's national team increased.[9]

Inception

On 11 August 2021, the SAFF appointed Monika Staab as head coach of the newly-established women's national team.[10] Saudi Arabia played their first games in February 2022, taking part in a friendly tournament in Malé, Maldives.[11] They debuted on 20 February, beating Seychelles in a 2–0 win.[12]

Results and fixtures
Main article: Saudi Arabia women's national football team results

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[13]

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2022
20 February 2022 Friendly Saudi Arabia  2–0  Seychelles Malé, Maldives
17:00
  • Mubarak 14'
  • Al-Tamimi 49' (pen.)
 Report Stadium: Galolhu Rasmee Dhandu Stadium
Referee: Adam Fazeel (Maldives)
24 February 2022 Friendly Maldives  0–2  Saudi Arabia Malé, Maldives
17:00 Report
Stadium: Galolhu Rasmee Dhandu Stadium
Referee: Javiz Mohamed (Maldives)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff
As of 11 August 2021
Role Name
Head Coach Monika Staab[14]
Assistant Coach Dana Rajab
Sandra Kalin
Martin Pacholek
Goalkeeping coach Catherine Lingert
Team Administrator Dalia Al-Obeikan
Intisar Al-Qahtan
Video Analyst Dana Newbery
Team Manager Beren Sadaqa

Manager history

Players
Main article: List of Saudi Arabia women's international footballers

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly matches against Seychelles and the Maldives on 20 and 24 February 2022, respectively.[15][16]

Caps and goals correct as of 24 February 2022
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Sarah Khaled (captain) 2 0 Al Mamlaka
12 1GK Mona Abdel Rahman 1 0
22 1GK Lama Al-Anazi 0 0 Jeddah Eagles
2 2DF Bayan Sadaqah 2 0 Jeddah Eagles
3 2DF Lin Muhammad 2 0
4 2DF Tala Al-Ghamdi 2 0 Jeddah Eagles
5 2DF Lana Abdel-Razzaq 2 0
15 2DF Mashael Al-Harbi 0 0 Storm
24 2DF Atheer Khaled 1 0
25 2DF Hessa Al-Saadallah 1 0 Jeddah Eagles
2DF Ohoud Al-Amari 0 0
6 3MF Maryam Al-Tamimi 2 1 Jeddah Eagles
7 3MF Noura Al-Ibrahim 2 0
8 3MF Layan Johari 2 0
10 3MF Sarah Hamad 2 0
11 3MF Dalia Abu Laban 1 0 Storm
13 3MF Raghad Mukhaizin 1 0 Storm
16 3MF Asrar Al-Shaibani 1 0 Jeddah Eagles
18 3MF Saba Tawfiq 0 0
21 3MF Juri Tariq 2 0 Storm
28 3MF Farah Jafri 1 0 Jeddah Eagles
3MF Fahda Al-Saad 0 0
9 4FW Al-Bandari Muhammad 2 0
14 4FW Al-Bandari Mubarak 2 3
23 4FW Tahani Al-Zahrani 1 0

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up

INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
PRE Preliminary squad.
SUS Player is serving a suspension.
WD Player withdrew for personal reasons.

Records
  • Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 24 February 2022.[13]

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

AFC Women's Asian Cup
AFC Women's Asian Cup record
Hosts / Year Result GP W D* L GS GA GD
1975Did not enter
1977
1979
1981
1983
1986
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2006
2008
2010
2014
2018
2022
Total0/20———————
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games
Main article: Saudi Arabia at the Olympics

Asian Games
Main article: Saudi Arabia at the Asian Games
Asian Games record
Hosts / Year Result GP W D* L GS GA GD
1990Did not enter
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022To be decided
2026
Total0/10———————
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

WAFF Women's Championship
WAFF Women's Championship record
Host nation(s)
and year		 Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA
2005Did not enter
2007
2010
2011
2014
2019
2022To be determined
Total—0/7——————

Head-to-head record
Key
  Positive balance (more wins than losses)
  Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)
  Negative balance (more losses than wins)

The following table shows Saudi Arabia's all-time official international record per opponent:

Opponent Pld W D L GF GA GD W% Confederation
 Maldives110020+4100.00CAF
 Seychelles110020+4100.00AFC
Total220040+4100.00—

Last updated: Saudi Arabia vs Maldives, 24 February 2022.[13]

References
  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  2. "Hijabs approved for soccer players by FIFA - Montreal - CBC News". Cbc.ca. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  3. "Women's football". New Statesman. 137: 20. 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  4. https://www.cfr.org/blog/womens-rights-saudi-arabia-after-king-abdullah
  5. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/allowing-women-to-drive-to-rave-in-desert-how-prince-salman-is-bringing-changes-in-saudi-arabia/articleshow/88505314.cms
  6. https://www.ft.com/content/6607c13e-f6f8-11e7-8715-e94187b3017e
  7. "Jeddah Eagles flying high with women's football win". Arab News. 9 December 2019.
  8. "Saudi Arabia launches a soccer league for women". CNN. 27 February 2020.
  9. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1711731/sport
  10. "Monika Staab appointed coach of Saudi women's national football team". Arab News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  11. "Saudi Arabian women's national team set for historic international debut in Maldives". Orbital Affairs. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  12. "Saudi women's national football team beat Seychelles in historic international win". Arab News. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  13. "Saudi Arabia – Team Info". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  14. "Who's Who: Monika Staab, new coach of the Saudi women's national football team". arabnews.com. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  15. Squad of KSA for friendly match (AR)
  16. Squad of KSA for friendly match (EN)
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