KSAsportz report
RIYADH — In a historic move for football in the Kingdom, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has officially launched a comprehensive record of the sport, marking over a century of history. The announcement came this Sunday, revealing a project that meticulously chronicles 123 years of the game, beginning from its inception in the early 1900s to the current era, where Saudi clubs are increasingly making their mark on the global stage.
This project, the first of its kind due to its extensive depth and accuracy, surpasses simple documentation. It now stands as the official national reference for Saudi football, detailing competitions, trophies, and even providing clear definitions for concepts like “champion” and “tournament classification.” This extensive archive has been compiled from decades of records, which were reviewed and standardized between March 2024 and April 2025, settling long-standing debates among fans and clubs alike that have persisted for generations.
The league: Al Hilal out in front
At the center of the project is the Saudi League, which has been running for nearly seven decades under various names and formats. Since its inception in 1957, there have been 68 editions, though four were either incomplete or unrecognized officially. Of the completed seasons, Al Hilal has clinched 21 league titles, more than any other club in Saudi history.
Al Ittihad follows with 14 titles, the most recent being claimed in 2025, while Al Nassr holds third place with 10 championship wins. Al Ahli ranks fourth with nine, having celebrated some of the league’s earliest successes, and Al Shabab completes the traditional “Big Five” with six titles. Other league winners include Ettifaq, with two titles, and Al Wahda and Al Fateh, each boasting one title. The official record underscores the various iterations of the tournament’s name, having transitioned from the “First Division” to the “Crown Prince League” and ultimately the Saudi Pro League.
King’s Cup: prestige and drama
First launched in 1966, the King’s Cup remains the Kingdom’s premier knockout competition. Over nearly 60 years and 38 editions, the tournament has delivered thrilling spectacles and occasional surprises. Al Hilal continues to reign supreme here with nine titles, while long-time holders Al Ahli closely follow with eight. Al Ittihad has secured the trophy six times, Al Nassr five, and Al Shabab four. Ettifaq has garnered two titles, while Al Wahda won the inaugural edition. Recent years have seen fresh champions like Al Taawoun (2019), Al Faisaly (2021), and Al Fayha (2022) break through to claim the cup, with the 1975 edition notably remaining unfinished.
Crown Prince Cup: Al Hilal again lead the way
From 1957 until its cessation in 2017, the Crown Prince Cup staged 37 gripping editions of knockout action. Al Hilal again leads with 13 titles, followed by Al Ittihad with eight and Al Ahli with six. Both Al Shabab and Al Nassr have three titles each, while clubs like Al Wahda, Al Riyadh, Al Ettifaq, and Al Qadsiah have each lifted the cup once, contributing to the event’s storied history ahead of its eventual discontinuation.
The Super Cup: a modern era prize
Introduced in 2013, the Saudi Super Cup has been contested 13 times, with 12 editions completed and one canceled. Here too, Al Hilal leads with five victories, further underscoring their dominance across all competitive formats. Al Nassr and Al Ahli have each secured two titles, while Al Ittihad, Al Shabab, and Al Fateh have each won once. Additionally, the record acknowledges the rare King Abdulaziz Cup (the Founder’s Cup) from 2000, fittingly won by Al Hilal to celebrate the centenary of the Kingdom’s establishment.
How the project was done
The meticulous documentation process was not merely about compiling statistics. The federation employed an eight-step methodology, including the gathering of records from both official and local sources, careful data verification across historical contexts, thorough analysis and categorization of competitions, including unfinished and unofficial tournaments, and adherence to international standards for football documentation. The project also explored the evolution of football governance in the Kingdom, evolving from the Ministry of Interior’s early oversight to the fully professionalized Saudi Arabian Football Federation today.
A national milestone
In total, the project meticulously catalogues more than 3,400 domestic competitions, 251 national team tournaments, 1,141 international matches, and over 3,300 referee appointments. Additionally, it encompasses more than 300 regulations and bylaws that have shaped the sport’s development. This massive undertaking has been supported by a coalition of Saudi institutions, including the Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority, the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, the Saudi Pro League, and even FIFA.
Al Hilal’s unmatched legacy
While the project places every club within a unified historical framework, it inevitably underscores one prevailing narrative: Al Hilal’s unmatched supremacy in Saudi football. With the most league titles, King’s Cups, Crown Prince Cups, and Super Cups, the Riyadh club stands as the most decorated team in the Kingdom. However, the record also reflects the rich tapestry of Saudi football history, showcasing Al Nassr’s golden periods in the 1970s and 1990s, Al Ittihad’s continental successes, and the emergence of surprise winners that have added unforgettable chapters. This project marks a milestone as Saudi Arabia’s football narrative is articulated in a singular, authoritative voice. As Vision 2030 propels sport—particularly football—to the forefront of the Kingdom’s future, this comprehensive record not only celebrates the past but lays the groundwork for the next century of Saudi football.