Saudi Arabian Football Federation Achieves Golden Membership in AFC Grassroots Charter

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The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has proudly secured golden membership in the Grassroots Charter of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This achievement underscores SAFF's commitment to nurturing youth football and adhering to top Asian standards.

Remarkably, the SAFF was awarded this golden status directly, skipping lower recognition levels. This milestone reflects the federation's dedication, particularly through its technical management team, to implementing initiatives from the Saudi Football Transformation Strategy launched in September 2021.

This recognition follows an evaluation tour by the AFC in early November, which showcased SAFF’s strong focus on youth development. The federation has rolled out over 25 talent identification programs and established 23 regional training centers across the Kingdom. Youth competitions for ages 15 to 18 have expanded from 8 to 12, while regional tournaments for ages 11 to 14 have surged from 35 to 86.

In addition to these efforts, the SAFF has prioritized enhancing the competitiveness of youth national teams, strengthening amateur leagues, and advancing women's football programs. The federation has also embraced modern technologies, including the SAFF+ platform for match streaming, analysis, and statistics, allowing academies and private clubs to engage in local competitions.