Saudi Arabia Pro League: Dates, teams & history

Saudi Arabia caused a major stir on the domestic football scene by splashing the cash to attract several high-profile footballers to the Saudi Pro League.

Some of the biggest names in world football, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, moved to the Middle East last summer and though business has not been as sensational this time around, a collection of Europe's top players have made the switch to Saudi.

How does the Saudi Arabia Pro League work?

The league was expanded from 16 to 18 teams ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. 

Like in England, the three lowest-placed teams are relegated to the Saudi First Division, while the top two teams in the First Division are automatically promoted to the Pro League.

A play-off system consisting of teams placed third to sixth is used to determine which other side will win promotion.

At the top end of the table, the winner is decided by the usual format of most points after 34 rounds of matches, with head-to-head results and then head-to-head goal difference used to separate teams if they are on the same number of points. 

The top two teams qualify for the AFC Champions League.

Which big names are playing in the Saudi Arabia Pro League?

The competition has created plenty of headlines with its recent influx of foreign talent, with Ronaldo and Benzema the two headline acts.

The moves for two of football's biggest names opened the floodgates on more players taking up big-money offers to play in Saudi Arabia.

The quality of imports improved dramatically in 2023 with the likes of Neymar, N'Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Edouard Mendy and Marcelo Brozovic making the move.

The temptation of a big payday doesn't stop at the players, with Al-Ettifaq previously being managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Slaven Bilic, Jorge Jesus and Sabri Lamouchi are just several other notable managers who have plied their trade in the division.

How many foreign players can play in the Saudi Arabia Pro League?

Under current regulations, Saudi Arabian clubs are only allowed to register eight foreign-born players over the course of a season. 

Some clubs have already filled their quota with Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Khaleej and Al-Nassr having named eight in their squads.

When does the 2026/27 Saudi Arabia Pro League season begin?

Dates for the new Saudi Arabia Pro League are to be confirmed, but last season's dates can be used as a guide.

Last season ran from 28th August 2025 until 21st May 2026.

When did the Saudi Arabia Pro League start?

Football in the country was largely regionalised and amateur until 1976 when the first professional, national league was established. 

The original competition only comprised eight teams with Al Hilal, Al Nasr, Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Wahda, Al Qadisiya, Al Shabab and Al Riyadh contesting a league that was eventually won by Al Hilal.

How many times has the Saudi Arabia Pro League taken place?

The Saudi Arabia Pro League has run every season since 1976.