The Riyadh-based club become first Saudi Arabian female team to compete in the region’s top women’s club competition Al-Nassr among 22 sides to feature in new-look competition, kicks off with preliminary group stage in August RIYADH: The Asian Football Confederation has announced that Al-Nassr FC are set to represent Saudi Arabia in the inaugural edition of the AFC Women’s Champions League in the forthcoming 2024/25 season. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Al-Nassr won the 2023/24 Women’s Premier League to qualify for the new tournament, with the draw for the preliminary rounds to take place at the AFC House in July. The draw will determine the groups for the opening matches, which are set to take place from Aug. 25-31. Al-Nassr are the first Saudi women’s side to compete in the region’s top club competition, which boasts 22 teams from AFC’s top-ranked nations, including Japan, Australia, North Korea, and China. The team’s qualification showcases the remarkable growth of women’s football in the Kingdom in recent years. It follows the formation of the first women’s national team in 2021 and the first professional women’s league in 2022. The AFC also confirmed that Saudi Arabia would host one group in the preliminary stages of the competition, marking the second occasion that the Kingdom has hosted a professional women’s football event following the successful West Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship. This is the icing on the cake for women’s football in the Kingdom, following the conclusion of the second season of the Women’s Premier League. Hosting the opening rounds will add to Saudi Arabia’s legacy as a global hub for international sporting events, with over 25 major football showcases held in the Kingdom in recent years. Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said: “The fact that Al-Nassr will be competing in the first edition of the AFC Women’s Champions League is a proud moment for Saudi Arabian football, as we achieve another important football milestone in our transformational journey. “We hope that this will keep inspiring a new generation of girls to engage with the sport.” SAFF’s Vice President Lamia Bahaian said: “The speed of the journey to reach the pinnacle of women’s club football in Asia is breathtaking. “Women’s football in the Kingdom is supported at every level but is only possible thanks to the skill, commitment and determination of all the players and coaches in the league. “We all share in the excitement of this moment. For Saudi Arabia, this is more than just competing. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, host and learn from the very best in the continent and we will welcome that with open arms. Our journey continues.” Sara Khalid, the goalkeeper for the Saudi Arabian national women’s team and Al-Nassr, said: “It’s an incredible feeling to have qualified for the first edition of the AFC Women’s Champions League. This moment is a testament to not only the work of everyone at Al-Nassr to support us in our recent successful season, but from everyone within the Kingdom to help us grow the game in our country to this level.” Women’s football in Saudi Arabia has seen an 86 percent increase in participation within the sport since 2021, with more than 70,000 girls of school age now playing football across the Kingdom.