2023–24 SAFF Women's Cup

the 2023–24 SAFF Women's Cup was the inaugural season of the annual Saudi women's football cup competition. Sixteen teams participated in the competition, including all teams from the current year's Women's Premier League. The competition began on 23 November 2023 with a round of 16.[1][2]

2023–24 SAFF Women's Cup
Tournament details
CountrySaudi Arabia
Dates23 November 2023 – 28 March 2024
Teams16
Final positions
ChampionsAl-Ahli (1st title)
Runner-upAl-Shabab
Third placeAl Qadsiah
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored108 (6.75 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Morocco Ibtissam Jraïdi (AHL)
(14 goals)
Best playerGhana Alice Kusi (AHL)
Best goalkeeperUnited States Lindsey Harris (QDS)
Goals scored in penalty shoot-outs not included.
2024–25 →

The final was won by Al-Ahli, who beat Al-Shabab 3–2 at Kingdom Arena.[3]

Participating teams edit

The tournament features the participation of the following 16 teams: all teams from the 2023–24 Premier League season, with the remaining 8 spots determined by the results of the previous year's Saudi Women's First Division League results.[4]

Saudi Women's Premier League
the 8 clubs of the 2023–24
Saudi Women's First Division League
the best 8 clubs of the 2022–23
  1. Al Nassr
  2. Al Hilal
  3. Al-Shabab
  4. Al-Ittihad
  5. Al-Ahli
  6. Eastern Flames
  7. Al-Riyadh  
  8. Al Qadsiah  
  1. Al Bayraq  
  2. Jeddah Club
  3. Najmt Jeddah
  4. United Eagles
  5. Al-Suqoor
  6. Saham
  7. Al Hamma
  8. Al-Amal

Knockout stage edit

Bracket edit

The tournament bracket is shown below, with bold denoting the winners of each match.

 
Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
23 November – Qatif
 
 
Eastern Flames18
 
29 December – Qatif
 
Saham0
 
Eastern Flames0
 
24 November – Khobar
 
Al Qadsiah3
 
Al Qadsiah7
 
9 February – Khobar
 
Najmt Jeddah0
 
Al Qadsiah2
 
23 November – Taif
 
Al-Ahli3
 
Al-Amal0
 
30 December – Riyadh
 
Al Nassr9
 
Al Nassr3
 
23 November – Riyadh
 
Al-Ahli (a.e.t.)4
 
Al Bayraq1
 
28 March – Riyadh
 
Al-Ahli17
 
Al-Ahli3
 
24 November – Riyadh
 
Al-Shabab2
 
Al Hilal4
 
30 December – Riyadh
 
Al-Suqoor0
 
Al Hilal0
 
23 November – Jeddah
 
Al-Shabab2
 
Jeddah Club0
 
9 February – Riyadh
 
Al-Shabab8
 
Al-Shabab5
 
24 November – Riyadh
 
Al-Ittihad4 Third place play-off
 
Al Hamma0
 
30 December – Jeddah27 March – Riyadh
 
Al-Riyadh5
 
Al-Riyadh0Al Qadsiah0 (5)
 
24 November – Jeddah
 
Al-Ittihad5 Al-Ittihad0 (4)
 
Al-Ittihad w/o
 
 
United Eagles
 

Round of 16 edit

There will be eight matches in the Round of 16, split over two days on November 23 and 24, 2023. The draw took place on September 6, 2023.

23 November 2023 Eastern Flames 18–0 Saham Qatif
16:00
  • Kasonga   3', 6', 12', 15', 19', 30', 55', 64'
  • Al-Asiri   27', 62', 71', 88'
  • Mideros   31', 49'
  • Khan   45+1'
  • Ochoa   75', 77', 81'
Stadium: Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Stadium
Referee: Ihsan Al-Shabeeb
23 November 2023 Al-Amal 0–9 Al Nassr Taif
16:00
Stadium: King Fahd Sports City
Referee: Ali Al-Qahtani
23 November 2023 Jeddah Club 0–8 Al-Shabab Jeddah
19:00
Stadium: Sports Hall at King Abdullah Sports City
Referee: Anoud Al-Asmari
23 November 2023 Al Bayraq 1–17 Al-Ahli Riyadh
20:00
Stadium: Inaya Medical Colleges Stadium
Referee: Reem Al-Dawsari
24 November 2023 Al Qadsiah 7–0 Najmt Jeddah Khobar
16:00
  • Aby   1', 4', 17', 43'
  • Pérez   34', 45', 68'
Stadium: Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hamdi
24 November 2023 Al Hilal 4–0 Al-Suqoor Riyadh
16:00
Stadium: Inaya Medical Colleges Stadium
Referee: Abdullah Al-Nassar
24 November 2023 Al-Ittihad Cancelled United Eagles Jeddah
19:00 Stadium: Al-Ittihad Club Stadium
Referee: Hibbah Al-Owaidi
Note: United Eagles withdrew from the matchday one day earlier, citing unforeseen circumstances.
24 November 2023 Al Hamma 0–5 Al-Riyadh Riyadh
20:00
Stadium: Inaya Medical Colleges Stadium
Referee: Reem Al-Bishi

Quarter-finals edit

In the quarter-finals, four matches were played as follows: the winner of match 1 hosted the winner of match 2, the winner of match 3 hosted the winner of match 4, the winner of match 5 hosted the winner of match 6, and the winner of match 8 hosted the winner of match 7.

29 December 2023 Eastern Flames 0–3 Al Qadsiah Dammam
16:00
Stadium: Prince Fahd bin Salman Stadium
30 December 2023 Al Hilal 0–2 Al-Shabab Riyadh
16:00
Stadium: Inaya Medical Colleges Stadium
Referee: Nasser Al-Khanfour
30 December 2023 Al Nassr 3–4 (a.e.t.) Al-Ahli Riyadh
19:00
Stadium: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
30 December 2023 Al-Ittihad 5–0 Al-Riyadh Jeddah
19:00
Stadium: Al-Ittihad Club Stadium

Semi-finals edit

Two matches were played in the semi-finals on 9 February 2024, made up of the four winning teams from the quarter-finals.

9 February 2024 Al Qadsiah 2–3 Al-Ahli Khobar
16:00
Stadium: Al-Qadsiah Club Stadium
9 February 2024 Al-Shabab 5–4 Al-Ittihad Riyadh
19:00
Stadium: Al-Shabab Club Stadium

Third place play-off edit

Third-place match play-off was played on 27 March 2024 in Riyadh.

27 March 2024 Al Qadsiah 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)
Al-Ittihad Riyadh
22:00 Stadium: Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City
Referee: Mosad Al-Meshari
Penalties

Final edit

The final was played at Kingdom Arena on 28 March 2024. This was the stadium's first-ever women's football game.[5]

Al-Ahli3–2Al-Shabab
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Al-Ahli
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Al-Shabab
GK 34   Ghalyah Emam
DF 19   Ayah Al-Majali
DF 8   Rahaf Al-Mansouri
DF 16   Huriyyah Al-Shamrani   38'   88'
MF 23   Raghad Mukhayzin
FW 9   Ibtissam Jraïdi (c)
FW 10   Alice Kusi   87'
FW 11   Daliah Abu Laban   65'   65'
FW 27   Naomie Kabakaba
MF 22   Sawaher Asiri
MF 99   Rana Abdullah
Substitutes:
MF 3   Ghada Malhan
DF 55   Azah Joudah
FW 6   Abla Bensenouci
GK 1   Rawand Kassab
MF 15   Ahod Al-Amari
FW 17   Fadwa Khaled   88'
FW 75   Cecilia Hagan   87'
MF 24   Moluk Al-Hawsawi   85'   65'
MF 77   Roaa Al-Sulaimani
Manager:
  Manar Fraij
GK 21   Mona Abdulrahman
DF 13   Tahani Al-Zahrani   46'
DF 98   Lana Feras   69'   90+3'
MF 18   Rita Chikwelu   61'
MF 3   Leen Mohammed (c)
FW 28   Ella Kaabachi   55'
MF 47   Moudi Abdulmohsen
MF 8   Adda Al-Fahad
FW 66   Al Bandari Mobarak   46'
FW 7   Noura Ibrahim
FW 9   Oriana Altuve
Substitutes:
GK 1   Laila Al-Qahtani
DF 2   Dalal Abdullatif
DF 5   Muneerah Ahmed
DF 4   Chaima Abbassi   75'   61'
MF 17   Deem Saud
DF 29   Sarah Majed
FW 77   Chinaza Agoh   55'
FW 11   Fatimah Mansour   46'
FW 22   Abeer Nasser   46'
Manager:
  Miguel Morales

Assistant referees:
Ekaterina Chernova (Russia)[6]
Irina Chechenina (Russia)[6]
Fourth official:
Heba Al-Owedi

Top scorers edit

As of 28 March 2024
Rank Player Club Goals
1   Ibtissam Jraïdi Al-Ahli 14
2   Enekia Kasonga Eastern Flames 8
  Oriana Altuve Al-Shabab
4   Alice Kusi Al-Ahli 6
5   Verónica Pérez Al Qadsiah 5
6   Sheikha Al-Asiri Eastern Flames 4
  Jessica Aby Al Qadsiah
8   Mavis Owusu Al Hilal 3
  Sofía Ochoa Eastern Flames
  Samia Aouni Al Nassr
  Clara Luvanga Al Nassr
  Al Bandari Mobarak Al-Shabab
  Lili Iskandar Al-Ittihad
14   Abla Bensenouci Al-Ahli 2
  Rafa Travalão Al-Riyadh
  Lina Boussaha Al Nassr
  Cecilia Hagan Al-Ahli
  Maysa Jbarah Al Nassr
  Ximena Mideros Eastern Flames
  Fatimah Mansour Al-Shabab
  Salma Amani Al-Ittihad
22   Ghada Ayadi Al Nassr 1
  Shokhan Salihi Al Hilal
  Carla Gómez Al-Riyadh
  Kholoud Al Harthi Al-Riyadh
  Sara Hamad Al Nassr
  Moluk Al-Hawsawi Al-Ahli
  Maria Khan Eastern Flames
  Besma Benlakhlef Al Bayraq
  Zaneta Wyne Al Qadsiah
  Rita Chikwelu Al-Shabab
  Ashleigh Plumptre Al-Ittihad
  Seba Tawfiq Al-Ittihad
  Talah Al-Ghamdi Al-Ittihad
  Leighanne Robe Al-Ittihad
  Huriyyah Al-Shamrani Al-Ahli
  Ajara Nchout Al Qadsiah
  Noura Ibrahim Al-Shabab
  Mai Sweilem Al-Shabab
  Naomie Kabakaba Al-Ahli
  Chaima Abbassi Al-Shabab

Prize money edit

The Saudi Football Federation has approved the financial prizes for the Saudi Women's Cup. The champion received 750,000 Saudi Riyals, the second-place holder 500,000 Saudi Riyals, and the third-place holder 200,000 Saudi Riyals.[7]

Place Teams Amount (in riyal)
Champions 1 750,000 ر.س
Runners-up 1 500,000 ر.س
Third place 1 200,000 ر.س
Total 3 1,450,000 ر.س

References edit

  1. ^ "Next November marks the kickoff of the inaugural edition of the Saudi Women's Cup". sabq.org (in Arabic). 6 September 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  2. ^ "The inaugural edition of the Saudi Women's Cup kicks off". saff.com.sa (in Arabic). Saudi Arabian Football Federation. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Al-Ahli crowned champions of inaugural Saudi Women's Cup". arabnews.com. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Sports / The inaugural edition of the Saudi Women's Cup kicks off". spa.gov.sa (in Arabic). 6 September 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. ^ ""المملكة أرينا" يستضيف نهائي كأس السعودية للسيدات" [The Kingdom Arena hosts the final of the Saudi Women's Cup]. kooora.com (in Arabic). Riyan Al-Jidani. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Российская бригада арбитров отработает финал женского кубка Саудовской Аравии" [The Russian team of referees will officiate the final of the women's cup of Saudi Arabia.]. rfs.ru (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  7. ^ "The SAFF Women's Cup kicks off today". alwatan.com.sa (in Arabic). 22 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.