Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Coach of Saudi Arabia’s first women’s national team looks forward to new era for football

Coach of Saudi Arabia’s first women’s national team looks forward to new era for football

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has officially welcomed its first-ever women’s national team head coach, Monika Staab, to her new role in Riyadh.
The highly experienced German was appointed in August and held her first training session with the national team this month. Considered a pioneer in the global development of the women’s game, she arrives in the Kingdom with a wealth of international experience as a player, as a manager at national and club levels, and in top-level executive boardroom positions.

Expressing her delight at being part of Saudi football history, Staab said: “It might not be obvious to those who have not visited the country but this has to be one of the most exciting opportunities anywhere in sport and I feel privileged to lead Saudi Arabia’s first women’s national team.”

Staab’s first experience of women’s football in Saudi Arabia was in December 2020 after she was invited to the Kingdom to lead a C-license coaching course for women. During her visit she met officials from the Ministry of Sport, the SAFF, and the Mahd Sports Academy in Riyadh. She said she discovered a passion for football in the country and great ambitions for the development of the women’s game.

Since her appointment, Staab — former coach of FFC Frankfurt (now known as Eintracht Frankfurt), and the Bahrain and Qatar national women’s teams — has been taking a close look at all aspects of Saudi football. As part of this she visited the futsal national team and community-based women’s clubs, met licensed Saudi female coaches, supervised the technical aspects of the Riyadh regional training center for youth and met the head coach of the Saudi men’s national team, Herve Renard.

“The country adores football: young and old, boys and girls,” Staab said. “It unites the country. And since l first visited the Kingdom I could sense a genuine passion for the game. There is an energy of hope, optimism and excitement and that is very refreshing, personally.

“Plus, there is also talent. In a country of 35 million, with two thirds under (the age of) 35, the opportunity is massive to find, nurture and develop young players. And there is a long-term strategy in place.

“So, we have all the ingredients. We’re not suddenly trying to sell football. We don’t need to; it lives within the hearts of the people, it is their national game. But now there’s a clear plan in place and a chance to unlock this huge potential and do something truly transformational.

“I am honestly very excited and proud to be playing a small part in the journey of one of the world’s fastest-growing sports countries.”

Lamia Bahaian, a SAFF board member and head of its women’s football department, said: “We are on a very exciting journey of development and are committed to investing in all areas of women’s football to give it the platform it truly deserves.

“We all believe that football is for everyone in the Kingdom. Thanks to the support of our esteemed leadership, and extensive investment in women’s sports as part of the transformative Vision 2030, we now have all the foundations laid for an exciting future ahead.

“Our passionate female team at the women’s football department have limitless ambitions to create history together.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×