RIYADH: When the Saudi Pro League Transformation Strategy launched in early 2023, a period of rapid growth was expected across Saudi football. Few, however, could have predicted the scale of that growth.
At the latest Player Acquisition Centre of Excellence program press conference on Wednesday, Saudi Pro League CEO Omar Mugharbel outlined both the progress made so far and the next stage of the league’s long-term vision.
“The question is no longer ‘will players move to the SPL,’ but rather ‘who is next?’” Mugharbel told reporters.
His message was clear: Saudi football’s next challenge is no longer simply attracting elite players, but building a sustainable ecosystem around them.
The second phase of the PACE program represents a broader shift in direction. After two years defined by disruption, open markets and global attention, the league is now attempting to move toward financial sustainability and collective club growth.
Since the launch of the Transformation Strategy, the SPL says the league experienced a 221 percent increase in market value, alongside a 115 percent rise in central commercial revenues and a 353 precent increase in total commercial revenues. The league’s competitive index has also risen from 71 to 75.
“The league has become more entertaining, more competitive, and harder to predict,” Mugharbel said. “The current standings are testament to that.”
His comments come less than a week before Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal meet in a match that could decide the title race, with Al-Hilal trailing the league leaders by just two points.
“Now, however, we need to grow with these players,” continued Mugharbel. “We seek to enhance the league as both a sporting and entertainment product, and the PACE program is imperative to this.”
The second phase of the program will focus on five key principles: strengthening the league’s standing, increasing international visibility, expanding investment opportunities, creating a clear distribution mechanism and improving competitiveness.
Much of the attention, however, centered on how the league intendes to distribute resources among clubs.
Under the new framework, 22 percent of the budget will be distributed equally among clubs based on participation. Another 22 percent will be linked to the club’s average league position over the previous three seasons, while 28 percent will be tied to television viewership and a further 28 percent to commercial perfomance, both also measured over a three-season period.
“We want every club to know where it stands, and why,” he said. “Every criterion is based on specific data, and transparency means communicating those details clearly to all clubs.”
Yet, despite the league’s efforts to establish a more sustainable structure, the discussions following the press conference also highlighted the complexity of the challenge ahead.
Possibly the toughest question Mugharbel navigated centered on the league’s main man, Cristiano Ronaldo. It is no secret that Al-Nassr top the TV viewership numbers thanks to the Portuguese star, leading some to question whether the league’s commercial ecosystem can truly be balanced equally among clubs.
Mugharbel insisted that the criteria had been developed in line with broader investment strategy guidelines, while stressing that club themselves remain responsible for their own sporting and commercial progress.
“Some clubs possess larger fan bases, while others have stronger squads,” he said. “That is not something we can or should control.
“The PACE program does not determine which players clubs sign, negotiate on their behalf or interfere in how they manage their budgets.”
The reality is, the challenge facing the SPL is not simply financial growth, but balancing rapid expansion with long-term stability across all 18 clubs.
Mistakes will naturally be made, whether by the league or individual clubs — but they are not the true measure of whether the strategy succeeds or fails.
For Saudi football, the debate is no longer about whether the SPL can attract global attention. That question has already been, and continues to be, answered.
The greater test now is whether the league can transform that momentum into a sustainable football economy capable fo surviving beyond the era of headline signings and superstar arrivals.
As Ronaldo edges closer to retirement, global football economics continue to shift and expectations around the SPL evolve, the second phase of the PACE program may ultimately prove to be one of the league’s most important transitions yet.
