The Saudi Football Federation has announced the setting up of a football league for women, with its first season to begin later this month.

In conservative Saudi Arabia, women's sports have long been looked down upon. However, the launch of the initiative on November 22 is part of a wider effort by the local football federation to support women's football, which began in 2017.

According to the federation, the new women’s league will be played in two phases within the regional league. In the first phase, sixteen teams will compete in games held in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. The matches will feature six teams from each region, with the exception of Dammam, where only four teams will compete.

Those that qualify will be able to compete in a knockout tournament in the Kingdom Final Championship, which will be hosted in the Red Sea city of Jeddah early next year.