Al Hilal’s New Murabba Deal Signals Deeper Investment in Women’s & Youth Football

Al Hilal Saudi Football Club has announced a new sponsorship agreement with New Murabba, a development project under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Under the deal, New Murabba becomes a main partner of the club for one year, with its logo placed on the lower chest of the kits worn by the Al Hilal Women’s First Football Team and the club’s male youth teams.

The partnership aligns with broader Saudi Vision 2030 goals to develop the sports ecosystem through stronger support for women’s and youth sports. New Murabba’s CEO, Michael Dyke, emphasised that the sponsorship represents investment in the future generations of Saudi sport, not just in elite men’s competition.

Al Hilal’s CEO, Esteve Calzada, noted that the deal fits into the club’s strategy of diversifying investment, seizing opportunities beyond its senior men’s teams, and building legacy through programmes that nurture talent from an early age.

Practically, this sponsorship provides visible commercial rights for New Murabba inside and outside the stadium. It raises the profile of Al Hilal’s women’s and youth squads, giving them more exposure via branding on playing kits and likely associated promotional activities. The involvement of New Murabba also brings with it expectations of increased support for infrastructure, equipment, training, and possibly broader support systems (coaching, medical, logistics) for the women’s and youth setups. Though those specifics are not fully detailed in the announcement, the symbolic value of having a major PIF-owned project backing these squads is significant.

For Al Hilal, the partnership with New Murabba strengthens its positioning as a club that is not only about winning at the top level but about sustaining long-term growth through investment in its future talent pipeline. The increased visibility for female players, which historically have had less commercial backing, could help attract more fans, sponsors, and possibly better competitive opportunities for the women’s side of the club. For youth teams, such deals help build pride, continuity, and a path toward bridging the gap between academy levels and professional performance.

From New Murabba’s perspective, the deal underlines its role not just as a real-estate or urban development brand, but as an active participant in Saudi Arabia’s evolving sports landscape. Associating with one of the Kingdom’s most storied clubs and with its women’s and youth teams gives the brand stronger social impact credentials and aligns with the country’s push to broaden participation and representation in sport.

There are challenges ahead. For the sponsorship to have lasting effect, Al Hilal and New Murabba will need to ensure that the women’s and youth programmes receive consistent resources, that the heightened visibility is matched by competitive investment, and that talent development pathways are solid. Monitoring outcomes - such as player development, match attendance, fan engagement, sponsorship activation - is likely to matter for both partners to justify the investment.

Overall, this deal reflects a maturing of Saudi club football sponsorships. It shows that brands and institutions are increasingly ready to support broader segments of the sport beyond the men’s first team, recognising value in youth development, women’s sport, and long-term growth rather than short-term returns alone. Al Hilal’s new agreement with New Murabba may well become a model for how clubs in the region grow in depth as well as prestige.