The Roshn Premier League has managed to add big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar Jr. But despite boasting a constellation of star players, the league is struggling to attract substantial fan attendance, raising concerns that have led to a stern warning.

Even if you get everything, you can’t have anything. This bitter quote encapsulates the intriguing contradiction that the Saudi Pro League is currently facing.

Saudi League warned over poor attendance despite having Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar

In ESPN’s ‘The Gab & Juls show’, Gabriel Marcotti and Julien Laurens discussed the poor attendance in the Saudi Pro League. Laurens revealed that only 133 people attended the game between Al Riyadh and Al Akhdoud. He also revealed that the attendance has gone down to just 15%. Subsequently, it led host Marcotti to send a major warning to the SPL. He insisted that even though they have big names at their disposal, “it’s not that simple” to draw huge crowds all of a sudden.

Marcotti said that clubs like Al Nassr and Al Ittihad may be drawing 20-40 thousand crowds, but questions who will watch the clubs like Al Akhdoud, that aren’t financially backed. “I think if they are treating this as can we create a viable business out of this still for all the talk of globalization and commercialization, your single biggest driver is still your domestic market and your domestic gate receipts and domestic sales and if you can’t get it up in those across your league you’re going to have a problem,” he added.

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Marcotti reveals they can’t “generate a domestic League out of nothing.” Finally, the host said he hopes the hot weather is the reason why fans don’t attend games. “I want to see what these attendances are like in December but the fact that you spend a billion and then you go down 15% so far, good not,” he concluded.

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Certainly, it is a major warning for the Saudi League, who are desperate to rule over the soccer world. Meanwhile, the country is now even looking to raid women’s soccer as well, eyeing top female stars.

Saudi Arabia eyeing top international women’s players

After signing big names from men’s soccer, Saudi Arabia is now looking to raid women’s soccer stars as well. The recently established Saudi Women’s Pro League in the 2022/23 season has plans to expand its reach by recruiting top soccer talents globally. Currently, the league permits each team to field 7 foreign players, with only 4 allowed to play simultaneously. However, there are intentions to bring in new additions.

Numerous agents have already initiated contact with players through intermediaries, sparking rumors of an extensive recruitment drive in women’s soccer. These agents have actively been in pursuit of international players within the age range of 24 to 28 years. Moreover, it has been confirmed that financial constraints are not a hindrance. Could we witness the arrival of renowned figures like Alex Morgan and Alexia Putellas in the Gulf country?

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