Saudi Begins Privatization of Two More Football Clubs

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sport, in collaboration with the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP), has officially launched the Expression of Interest (EOI) and Request for Qualification (RFQ) phase for the acquisition of Al-Najma and Al-Okhdood Sports Clubs - a pivotal advance in the Kingdom’s Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project. Both local and international investors are now invited to review the relevant documentation on the NCP website and submit their statements of qualification (SOQ) between now and the deadline of 17 September 2025.

The privatisation of these two football clubs represents the latest phase of a strategic initiative to expand private sector involvement in Saudi sports. Al-Najma, based in the Pro League, and Al-Okhdood, competing in the First Division and hailing from Najran, have joined the privatization pipeline as the government moves to enhance financial and administrative sustainability across its football ecosystem.

This developmental push forms a crucial part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 framework, which seeks to diversify the economy, strengthen sports governance, and elevate the overall sporting infrastructure. Inviting competitive investor participation in such club acquisitions represents a shift toward professionalization and long-term commercial viability, hallmarks of the broader strategy to modernize and internationalize the domestic sports industry.

The initiative follows earlier phases of privatization, including the successful transfers of clubs like Al-Ansar, Al-Kholood, and Al-Zulfi to private investors - moves that have already begun transforming club management and ownership models. With Al-Najma and Al-Okhdood now entering the privatization stage, the Kingdom signals its steady stance toward creating a commercially robust, privately-led club landscape.

As the SOQ submission window unfolds, all eyes will be on which investors step forward and what terms they propose. The path from state-run to privately empowered clubs is shaping Saudi football's evolution—transforming it not just in economic terms, but as a cultural and regional force aligned with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030.