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Saudi Arabia’s Football Stadium Welcomes Women For First Time

For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women were allowed to attend a men’s football match at King Abdullah Stadium on Friday. 

The women showed up in the stadium with their spouses and children to support al-Ahli and al-Batin football clubs. 

The General Sports Authority announced in October that stadiums in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh will be set up to accommodate families starting in 2018.

"Today the percentage of those who participate in exercise and sports is only 13 percent. We aim god willing to raise it to 40 percent by 2030, through several events, and today's is one of these events, the first event that the federation is doing," head of a sports organization, Yayfaa al-Sabban, said as quoted by Reuters.

Those who attended the event called it a positive step in their lives. 

“This step is a positive step for the Kingdom, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. When you give women the chance to share attending game with men, this first of all reinforces allowing women to participate in matches, and secondly gives support to the team and the players, so that everyone, the whole community, shares the games with them," said Faisal bin Sibhan, an attendee. 

"Honestly this decision should have happened a long time ago. But thank god that it came at the right time, and hopefully what's to come is even more beautiful for women," said Muneera al-Ghamdi, a resident of Jeddah city. 

The two citizens were quoted in a report by Reuters. 

The decision to allow women to attend a mixed public sporting event is one of many changes the country has undergone in recent months, hailed as proof of a new progressive trend in the deeply conservative Muslim Kingdom, Reuters said in a report. 

Saudi Arabia’s Football Stadium Welcomes Women For First Time

Saudi Arabia officials said their goal is to raise the percentage of women in sports events to 40 percent by 2030. 

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For the first time in Saudi Arabia, women were allowed to attend a men’s football match at King Abdullah Stadium on Friday. 

The women showed up in the stadium with their spouses and children to support al-Ahli and al-Batin football clubs. 

The General Sports Authority announced in October that stadiums in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh will be set up to accommodate families starting in 2018.

"Today the percentage of those who participate in exercise and sports is only 13 percent. We aim god willing to raise it to 40 percent by 2030, through several events, and today's is one of these events, the first event that the federation is doing," head of a sports organization, Yayfaa al-Sabban, said as quoted by Reuters.

Those who attended the event called it a positive step in their lives. 

“This step is a positive step for the Kingdom, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. When you give women the chance to share attending game with men, this first of all reinforces allowing women to participate in matches, and secondly gives support to the team and the players, so that everyone, the whole community, shares the games with them," said Faisal bin Sibhan, an attendee. 

"Honestly this decision should have happened a long time ago. But thank god that it came at the right time, and hopefully what's to come is even more beautiful for women," said Muneera al-Ghamdi, a resident of Jeddah city. 

The two citizens were quoted in a report by Reuters. 

The decision to allow women to attend a mixed public sporting event is one of many changes the country has undergone in recent months, hailed as proof of a new progressive trend in the deeply conservative Muslim Kingdom, Reuters said in a report. 

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