Saudi Arabia expands the playing field in sports for women.

From marathons to football pitches and professional padels, women in Saudi Arabia are increasingly involved in the sporting life of this Gulf nation, as Riyadh pushes for social reforms under its Saudi Vision 2030 program.

According to local media reports cited by the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in the Middle East-North Africa, Saudi Arabia began expanding sporting opportunities for women in 2017 when physical education was first introduced into public schools for girls. A year later, stadiums previously reserved for men were opened to women and their families.

This shift is clearly reflected at the Riyadh Marathon. According to the Saudi Arabian Mass Sports Federation, the percentage of women participating in the race increased from 18.7% in the inaugural season in 2022 to 25.8% in 2026.

“This year’s race even has a 90-year-old athlete participating in the 5km distance, showing the open spirit of the event for all ages,” said Shaima Al-Husseini, Executive Director of the federation.

According to Ms. Al-Husseini, the increase in the number of female athletes is a result of long-term programs aimed at creating a more suitable sporting environment for women, including safe and friendly training spaces.

Football player Majd Al-Otaibi said she started playing football at the age of 6 while living abroad, but had to stop after returning to Saudi Arabia because women's football was almost undeveloped at that time.

"When I started playing football in Saudi Arabia, I couldn't believe there was women's football here," Al-Otaibi said.

According to the female player, Saudi Arabian society's views on women in sports have changed significantly in recent years. She shared: "I feel that the opportunities now are very different from before. Every year things get better and the Saudi Football Federation is doing a great job of opening up more opportunities for women."

Meanwhile, padel player Sawsan Al-Hindi noted that women competing and representing national teams has become more common in Saudi Arabia. Al-Hindi started playing padel in 2022 while studying in Australia to relieve academic pressure before turning professional. She is currently ranked 13th nationally and is the top player in the Eastern Saudi Arabia region.

According to data on the Vision 2030 website, there are currently over 70,000 girls participating in school sports in Saudi Arabia, along with more than 1,000 coaches involved in developing women's sports.

Observers believe that the increasing role of women in sports reflects the profound social changes in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Beyond sports, women in this country are now also participating more in the workforce, entertainment industry, and public activities – areas that were previously subject to significant restrictions.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/saudi-arabia-mo-rong-san-choi-the-thao-cho-phu-nu-post1110951.vnp