Roshn Saudi League 2024-25 Season: New International Stars And Format Changes
The 2024-25 season of the Roshn League (RSL) promises to bring significant changes, aiming to boost the league's competitiveness. This season will feature new international stars and homegrown talents. The first matchweek kicks off on Thursday, August 22.
Among the new arrivals are former Real Madrid captain Nacho, Premier League golden boot winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and high-profile players like Houssemouar, Moussa Diaby, and Predrag Rajkovic. Additionally, World Cup winner Laurent Blanc and Sabri Lamouchi are among the new faces in the dugout.
New Format and Squad Changes
The RSL 2024-25 season will introduce several changes to its format and squad structures. One notable change is the introduction of 'Magic Rounds’ in Gameweeks 9 and 26. These rounds will feature local derbies across Riyadh, Jeddah, and the Eastern Province. Matches include Al Hilal vs. Al Nassr, Al Ittihad vs. Al Ahli, and Al Ettifaq vs. Al Qadsiah.
Squad sizes have been reduced from 30 to 25 players. Teams can now register up to 10 non-Saudi players, an increase from eight last year. To promote young Saudi talent, matchday squads of 20 must include at least 11 Saudi players. The age to compete was lowered from 18 to 16 last season.
Player Perspectives
Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema expressed his team's ambitions: "We're here to challenge for everything, not just make up the numbers. We know we need to improve. We have a new manager and have added some real quality to the squad with Moussa Diaby and Houssem Aouar, and I've been really impressed by some of the younger guys who have come into the squad. As senior players it's our job to take responsibility and allow these young guys to come into the team and thrive."
Ruben Neves of Al Hilal is focused on reclaiming the league title with help from returning stars like Neymar. Neves said: "Winning trophies comes with great responsibility, and we take that seriously. We know we can't take our foot off the gas… so we're focused on having a great start to the season and we're looking forward to having injured players back in the team. We know they can take us to that next level."
Sadio Mane of Al Nassr acknowledged their need for improvement: "We fell short last season and we need to step up this year. Everyone in the squad, myself included. I'm sure every other team in the league is hoping to do the same. I'm expecting a super competitive season with some very good players joining the league and new young boys coming through."
Infrastructure Improvements
The previous season saw eight RSL clubs move into new stadiums due to efforts by the Ministry of Sport to enhance sporting infrastructure. The league's global reach expanded by 30%, covering 160 countries across 38 platforms as part of its goal to become a top global football league.
This season introduces a unified ticketing platform for easier access to tickets and a more balanced fixture list thanks to mirrored scheduling.
Steven Gerrard, manager of Al Ettifaq, anticipates a competitive season with excitement for Magic Rounds: "You can already see things have gone up a notch with the league, not just in the quality of the teams but how the league are going about things. We're really looking forward to the new derby weekends, which I think will give those fixtures an added edge and I think some of the transfers in and out across the league are really smart."
Aubameyang aims to make an impact with newcomers Al Qadsiah: "My challenge is to continue what I've been doing all my career and all my life: scoring goals and try to give my experience to the team and to the players. It's getting better and better [The RSL]. And obviously we're here to bring the level higher."
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