Sports Bulletin Report
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): This evening, Lamia Bahaian, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), was pleased to welcome Knizat Ibrahim, Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and Said Athouman, President of the Comoros Football Federation, to the match between Al Hilal and Eastern Flames in the first round of the 2024-25 Saudi Women’s Premier League season. Their presence was particularly significant given the participation of over 15 African players from 10 countries currently playing in the Saudi Women’s Premier League. Two African players from Al Hilal, Mavis Owusu from Ghana and Claudia Dabda from Cameroon featured prominently in the match, with Mavis Owusu scoring a hattrick and Claudia Dabda adding another goal to secure a 4-0 victory for Al Hilal. Following the match, Lamia Bahaian, Knizat Ibrahim, and Said Athouman spoke with Mavis Owusu and Claudia Dabda to commend them on their exceptional performances.
Knizat Ibrahim and Said Athouman are currently in Riyadh as part of the CAF delegation that attended the 2024 CAF Super Cup final, held yesterday at the Kingdom Arena, where Al Ahly faced Zamalek. Beyond hosting the 2023 and 2024 CAF Super Cups in Saudi Arabia, SAFF and CAF have undertaken numerous initiatives together, including programs focused on coaching, refereeing, and the exchange of expertise, which have added great value to both organizations.
Their visit provided an opportunity to discuss the rapid growth of Saudi women’s football and explore strategies for future collaboration to further enhance the development of the women’s game in the region. As long-term partners, both sides agreed to continue strengthening this relationship, with potential initiatives such as the participation of Saudi schools in the upcoming African School Championships and organizing events dedicated to women’s football.
The collaboration between SAFF and CAF has already produced tangible outcomes, such as a coaching workshop held last May in Riyadh for 32 Saudi and African female coaches, led by international experts. This initiative facilitated a valuable exchange of football knowledge and has yielded significant results, further strengthening the partnership between the two organizations.
Additionally, the partnership between SAFF and CAF has enabled the Saudi Women’s National Teams to play a number of friendly matches, including games against the national teams of Seychelles and Comoros, and the U20 Saudi National Team facing Mauritania.
