2022–23 Saudi Pro League
The 2022–23 Saudi Professional League (known as the
On 27 May,
Overview
Changes
On 14 April 2022, the Saudi FF announced that the number of teams in the
Name sponsorship
On 23 August 2022, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) announced that they had signed a sponsorship deal with real estate company Roshn. As part of the sponsorship deal, the Saudi Pro League would be known as the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) for the next 5 seasons.[10]
Teams
16 teams are competing in the league – the top 13 teams from the previous season and the 3 teams promoted from the FD League.
Teams who were promoted to the Pro League
All 3 teams were promoted on the final day of the season.
Al-Adalah were promoted following a 0–0 draw away to Jeddah.[12] Al-Adalah return to the top flight after an absence of two seasons. Al-Adalah will play in their 2nd season in the top flight.
Teams who were relegated to the FD League
Both
Al-Faisaly were relegated following a 2–1 away defeat to Al-Hilal.[16] Al-Faisaly were relegated after 12 consecutive seasons in the top flight.
Stadiums
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Abha | Abha | Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium
|
20,000[17] |
Al-Adalah | Al-Hasa (Al-Hulaylah) | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 26,000[18] |
Al-Batin
|
Hafar al-Batin | Al-Batin Club Stadium | 6,000[19] |
Al-Ettifaq
|
Dammam | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium | 35,000[20] |
Al-Fateh
|
Al-Hasa (Hofuf) | Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium | 26,000[18] |
Al-Fayha | Al Majma'ah | Al Majma'ah Sports City | 7,000 |
Al-Hilal
|
Riyadh | Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
|
62,685 22,500 |
Al-Ittihad | Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City | 62,345 |
Al-Khaleej
|
Saihat | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium (Dammam) | 35,000 |
Al-Nassr
|
Riyadh | Al-Awwal Park | 25,000 |
Al-Raed
|
Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium
|
25,000 |
Al-Shabab | Riyadh | Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
|
22,500 |
Al-Taawoun
|
Buraidah | King Abdullah Sport City Stadium Al-Taawoun Club Stadium |
25,000 5,961 |
Al-Tai | Ha'il
|
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium
|
12,000[21] |
Al-Wehda | Mecca | King Abdul Aziz Stadium
|
38,000 |
Damac
|
Khamis Mushait | Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium (Abha) Damac Club Stadium |
20,000 4,500 |
Personnel and kits
Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abha | Roel Coumans | Abdullah Al-Zori | Offside | Hayat National Hospital, Tameeni, Yelo, Mezaj Maghribi1 |
Al-Adalah | Martin Ševela | Abdullah Al-Yousef | – | Tameeni, Yelo, Alnadeg1 |
Al-Batin | Zdravko Logarušić | Martín Campaña | Zeus | Tameeni, Almaali Hospital2 |
Al-Ettifaq | Antonio Cazorla (caretaker) | Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi | Offside | Alomar Furniture, Kammelna, Sky Ways, Tameeni, Saudi German Hospital1, Shgardi2, Tarmeem3 |
Al-Fateh | Giorgos Donis
|
Mohammed Al-Fuhaid | Offside | Al-Jabr Finance, Fuschia, Tameeni, Al Kifah Holding1, Almoosa Hospital1 |
Al-Fayha | Vuk Rašović | Sami Al-Khaibari | Offside | Al-Romaih Investment, Tameeni, Afaq Al Arabya1 |
Al-Hilal | Emiliano Díaz | Salman Al-Faraj | Puma
|
BLU Store, Jahez, Tawuniya1, Floward2, Shawarmer2 |
Al-Ittihad | Nuno Espírito Santo | Marcelo Grohe | Nike
|
Darco, SAL, Emkan1, Tameeni2, Yelo2, Oud Al-Amoudi3 |
Al-Khaleej | Pedro Emanuel | Abdullah Al-Harbi | Laser | Tameeni, Yelo, Locate1 |
Al-Nassr | Luís Castro (interim) | Cristiano Ronaldo | Nike
|
KAFD, Noug, Aroya Cruises2 |
Al-Raed | Marius Șumudică | Sultan Al-Farhan | Challenge | Alomar Furniture, Azom, Alsaif Gallery1, Shawarma King1, Tahaluf Capital1, B-Care2, Qaid2 |
Al-Shabab | Vicente Moreno | Éver Banega | Offside | Almozaini, Half Million, Mekyal1, Azom2, Bandar Real Estate2 |
Al-Taawoun | Péricles Chamusca | Naldo | Skillano | Mu4hela Cafe, Tameeni, Alnadeg1, Hayat National Hospital1, Alsaif Gallery2 |
Al-Tai | José Pedro Barreto | Abdulaziz Al-Harabi | RightAway Sport | Mashar, Tameeni, Abar1, Qaid2 |
Al-Wehda | José Luis Sierra | Waleed Bakshween | Erreà | FG Sports, Tameeni, Yelo, Al Tazaj1, Vveyon1, Qaid2 |
Damac | Cosmin Contra | Farouk Chafaï | Skillano | Bin Thaliba1, Mustasharak Hospital1, Qaid2, Lateen2 |
- 1 On the back of the strip.
- 2 On the right sleeve of the strip.
- 3 On the shorts.
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Al-Khaleej
|
Khaled Al-Marzouq | End of caretaker period | 1 June 2022 | Pre-season | Pedro Emanuel | 3 July 2022[22] |
Al-Wehda | Habib Ben Romdhane | End of contract | Bruno Akrapović | 14 June 2022[23] | ||
Abha | Martin Ševela | 28 June 2022 | Sven Vandenbroeck | 16 July 2022[24] | ||
Al-Ittihad | Cosmin Contra | Nuno Espírito Santo | 4 July 2022[25] | |||
Al-Nassr
|
Miguel Ángel Russo | Rudi Garcia | 28 June 2022[26] | |||
Al-Raed
|
Yousef Al-Ghadeer | Marius Șumudică | 30 June 2022[27] | |||
Al-Shabab
|
Marius Șumudică | Vicente Moreno | 28 July 2022[28] | |||
Al-Tai | José Luis Sierra | Pepa | 19 July 2022[29] | |||
Al-Taawoun
|
Mohammed Al-Abdali | End of caretaker period | Péricles Chamusca | 29 June 2022[30] | ||
Abha | Sven Vandenbroeck | Sacked | 8 October 2022[31] | 14th | Roel Coumans | 30 October 2022[32] |
Al-Wehda | Bruno Akrapović | Mutual consent | 20 October 2022[33] | 12th | José Luis Sierra | 20 October 2022[33] |
Al-Adalah | Yousef Al Mannai | Sacked | 22 October 2022[34] | 13th | Martin Ševela | 23 October 2022[35] |
Al-Tai | Pepa | 22 January 2023[36] | 9th | Mirel Rădoi | 22 January 2023[36] | |
Al-Batin
|
Alen Horvat | 19 February 2023[37] | 16th | Zdravko Logarušić | 19 February 2023[38] | |
Al-Ettifaq
|
Patrice Carteron | Mutual consent | 26 February 2023[39] | 12th | Antonio Cazorla (caretaker) | 26 February 2023 |
Damac | Krešimir Režić | Sacked | 6 March 2023[40] | 9th | Cosmin Contra | 6 March 2023[40] |
Al-Nassr | Rudi Garcia | Mutual consent | 13 April 2023[41] | 2nd | Dinko Jeličić (caretaker) | 13 April 2023 |
Al-Hilal | Ramón Díaz | Resigned | 14 May 2023[42] | 4th | Emiliano Díaz (caretaker) | 14 May 2023 |
Al-Tai | Mirel Rădoi | Sacked | 18 May 2023[43] | 7th | José Pedro Barreto (caretaker) | 18 May 2023[43] |
Foreign players
The number of foreign players was increased from 7 to 8. Clubs can register a total of eight foreign players over the course of the season, but only seven could be named in the matchday squad.[9]
- Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
- Players in italics were out of the squad or left the club within the season, after the pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Al-Ittihad (C, Q) | 30 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 60 | 13 | +47 | 72 | Qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup |
2 | Al-Nassr | 30 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 63 | 18 | +45 | 67 | Qualified for the AFC Champions League play-off round |
3 | Al-Hilal[a] | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 54 | 29 | +25 | 59 | Qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage |
4 | Al-Shabab | 30 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 57 | 33 | +24 | 56 | |
5 | Al-Taawoun | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 34 | +12 | 55 | |
6 | Al-Fateh | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 48 | 43 | +5 | 43 | |
7 | Al-Ettifaq
|
30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 36 | −8 | 37 | |
8 | Damac | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 33 | 43 | −10 | 36 | |
9 | Al-Tai | 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 34[b] | |
10 | Al-Raed | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 34[b] | |
11 | Al-Fayha[c] | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 33[d] | Qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage |
12 | Abha | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 33 | 52 | −19 | 33[d] | |
13 | Al-Wehda | 30 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 26 | 43 | −17 | 32 | |
14 | Al-Khaleej
|
30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 30 | 44 | −14 | 31 | |
15 | Al-Adalah (R) | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 30 | 56 | −26 | 28 | Relegated to the First Division League[44] |
16 | Al-Batin (R) | 30 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 27 | 63 | −36 | 20 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total goals scored; 6) Fair-play points (Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).[45]
(C) Champions; (Q) Qualified for the phase indicated; (R) Relegated
Notes:
- ^ Al-Hilal qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage as the 2022–23 King Cup winners.
- ^ a b Al-Tai finished ahead of Al-Raed on head-to-head points: Al-Tai: 4 pts, Al-Raed: 1 pts (Al-Raed 0–2 Al-Tai, Al-Tai 2–2 Al-Raed).
- ^ Al-Fayha qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage as the 2021–22 King Cup winners.
- ^ a b Al-Fayha finished ahead of Abha on head-to-head points: Al-Fayha: 4 pts, Abha: 1 pts (Abha 1–1 Al-Fayha, Al-Fayha 2–0 Abha).
Positions by round
The following table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve the chronological evolution, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward.