Top sports officials laud Shaikh Nasser initiative

Leading Bahrain national sports officials commended the initiative of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee President, to allow Bahrain’s elite sports clubs to compete in the Saudi football league from next season onwards.

Shaikh Nasser yesterday made an announcement to a historic decision, in which he said Muharraq Club will be the first Bahraini team to take part in the Saudi Professional League in the 2019/2020 season.

The move is part of a comprehensive plan by Shaikh Nasser in an attempt to develop football in Bahrain and to add more quality to the Bahraini players spearheading the country in future competitions, especially the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Bahrain Football Association will now liaise with the Asian Football Confederation’s Competitions Committee, as well as the world football governing body ‘FIFA’, to meet all the necessary conditions and put this idea off the ground.

National football federations leaders described this idea as one of many crucial contributions of Shaikh Nasser to sports in Bahrain, especially football, and is part of his plan to develop the game in the country to make it capable of competing on a much higher international level.

Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Volleyball Association, said the idea is pioneering and unprecedented on such a level and will contribute significantly to the development of football infrastructure in the Kingdom, and a boosting step to enter the world of professionalism.

“The Saudi league is considered one of the strongest football competitions in the region and has a popular presence and enjoys great media attention, so the participation of Muharraq will enrich the experience of players and develop their technical abilities,” he said.