Saudi Football Federation launches club academy development project

The Saudi Football Federation has introduced a project to bolster club academy development, focusing on teams in the top three divisions. This initiative, unveiled at a Club Forum in Riyadh, aims to bolster the talent development system and enhance the quality of work at club academies. The project was announced by the Federation's Secretary General, Majid Al-Sahib, Executive Director of Football, Matt Crocker, FIFA specialist Philippe Senderos, and representatives from the 68 targeted clubs.

Secretary General Al-Sahib underscored the importance of partnerships with clubs to develop the football ecosystem, emphasizing the pivotal role of academies in fostering a sustainable talent base and supporting Saudi football's future. Matt Crocker detailed the project's goals, including establishing unified standards for academy operations and ensuring a smooth transition of talent from academies to first teams and national squads.

The Federation's Director of Football Development outlined the academy development program's significance in raising technical standards within clubs and strengthening player development pathways. FIFA's High Performance Specialist and Talent Development Planner highlighted the importance of academy development programs in building robust talent systems and FIFA's support for football development initiatives.

The project, in collaboration with Belgian firm Double Pass, will establish standardized academy operations, help clubs identify priorities, refine methodologies, and prepare a new generation of top-tier players. It will also facilitate the transition of talent from academies to first teams and national squads. The project will be implemented over three evaluation cycles up to 2030, with comprehensive and interim assessments covering key areas like talent identification, player progression, sporting environment, infrastructure, and governance.

This will provide a detailed overview of each academy, pinpointing areas for improvement. The project also includes incentives for clubs based on work quality and productivity, as well as benefits related to player transfers, aiming to enhance the return on investment in talent development and elevate the technical and market value of developed players.