The 2021–22 Saudi Pro League was the 47th edition of the top-tier Saudi football league, established in 1974, and the 14th edition since it was rebranded as the Saudi Pro League in 2008, Fixtures for the 2021–22 season were announced on 18 July 2021.
Al-Hilal were the two-time defending champions after winning their 17th title last season. Al-Fayha, Al-Hazem, and Al-Tai join as the three promoted clubs from the 2020–21 MS League. They replace Al-Ain, Al-Qadsiah, and Al-Wehda who were relegated to the 2021–22 MS League.
On 27 June, Al-Hilal secured their eighteenth league title in the final matchday following a 2–1 home win against Al-Faisaly. It was also the club's third consecutive title and fifth in the last six seasons. Al-Hazem were the first team to be relegated following a 5–2 defeat away to Al-Ettifaq on 21 May. In the final matchday, both Al-Faisaly and Al-Ahli were relegated following a defeat to Al-Hilal and a draw with Al-Shabab respectively.
Overview Sponsorship On 8 August 2021, the Saudi Professional League announced that they had signed a sponsorship deal with real estate company Roshn. On 9 August 2021, the Saudi FF signed a sponsorship deal with Chinese tech company Lenovo to become the official technology partner of all Saudi football competitions.
Changes On 8 August 2021, Ministry of Sports announced that they had increased the capacity limit from 40% to 60% in all stadiums. It was also announced that children under 12 wouldn't be allowed to attend matches and that the attendance would be limited to those who are fully vaccinated.
Teams
Sixteen teams will compete in the league – the top thirteen teams from the previous season and the three teams promoted from the MS League.
Teams who were promoted to the Pro League
The first club to be promoted was Al-Hazem, who were promoted following a 4–2 away win against Al-Sahel on 20 April 2021. Al-Hazem will play in the top flight of Saudi football after a season's absence. Al-Hazem were crowned champions following a 1–0 away win against Hajer on 21 May 2021.
The second club to be promoted was Al-Fayha, following a 0–0 home draw with Al-Tai on 20 May 2021. Al-Fayha will play in the top flight of Saudi football after a season's absence.
The third and final club to be promoted was Al-Tai who were promoted on the final matchday following a 2–0 away win over Arar. Al-Tai will play in the top flight of Saudi football for the first time since the 2007–08 season.
Teams who were relegated to the MS League
The first club to be relegated was Al-Ain, who were relegated after only a year in the top flight following a 2–0 defeat away to Al-Nassr on 14 May 2021.
In the final matchday, both Al-Qadsiah and Al-Wehda were relegated following a draw with Abha and a loss against Al-Shabab respectively. Al-Qadsiah were relegated after only a year in the top flight while Al-Wehda were relegated after three years in the top flight.
Stadiums Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium Capacity Abha Abha Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium Al-Ahli Jeddah King Abdullah Sports CityPrince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Al-Batin Hafar al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-Ettifaq Dammam Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium Al-Faisaly Harmah Al Majma'ah Sports City (Al Majma'ah) Al-Fateh Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Fayha Al Majma'ah Al Majma'ah Sports City Al-Hazem Ar Rass Al-Hazem Club Stadium Al-Hilal Riyadh King Fahd International StadiumPrince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium Al-Ittihad Jeddah King Abdullah Sports CityPrince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium Al-Nassr Riyadh Mrsool Park Al-Raed Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium Al-Shabab Riyadh King Fahd International StadiumPrince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium Al-Taawoun Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium Al-Tai Ha'il Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium Damac Khamis Mushait Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium (Abha)
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor 1 On the back of the strip. 2 On the right sleeve of the strip. 3 On the shorts.
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointment Abha Abderrazek ChebbiEnd of contract31 May 2021Pre-season Martin Ševela 1 July 2021 Al-Ahli Laurențiu Reghecampf Besnik Hasi 6 June 2021 Al-Batin Aleksandar Veselinović Nenad Lalatović 24 June 2021 Al-Faisaly Péricles Chamusca Paolo Tramezzani 18 June 2021 Al-Hilal José Morais Leonardo Jardim 1 June 2021 Al-Raed Besnik Hasi Pablo Machín 19 June 2021 Al-Shabab Carlos Inarejos Péricles Chamusca 31 May 2021 Al-Fayha Al-Habib bin Ramadan1 June 2021 Vuk Rašović 21 June 2021 Al-Hazem Mohammed Dahmane Hélder 7 June 2021 Al-Taawoun Nestor El MaestroSacked 22 August 202114th José Gomes 22 August 2021 Al-Ittihad Fábio Carille 23 August 20216th Cosmin Contra 29 August 2021 Al-Tai Mohamed Kouki 28 August 202116th Zoran Manojlović 30 August 2021 Al-Nassr Mano Menezes 19 September 20218th Pedro Emanuel 1 October 2021 Al-Faisaly Paolo TramezzaniMutual consent 7 October 20219th Daniel Ramos 7 October 2021 Al-Ettifaq Khaled Al-Atwi 16 October 202112th Vladan Milojević 17 October 2021 Al-Batin Nenad LalatovićSacked 17 October 202115th Alen Horvat 21 October 2021 Al-Tai Zoran Manojlović 4 November 202116th José Luis Sierra 7 November 2021 Al-Nassr Pedro Emanuel 10 November 20219th Miguel Ángel Russo 5 December 2021 Al-Hazem Hélder 27 November 202115th Constantin Gâlcă 6 December 2021 Al-Fateh Yannick Ferrera Mutual consent 9 January 202212th Georgios Donis 16 January 2022 Al-Raed Pablo Machín Sacked 26 January 20228th João Pedro Sousa 26 January 2022 Al-Hilal Leonardo JardimMutual consent 14 February 20224th Ramón Díaz 14 February 2022 Al-Hazem Constantin Gâlcă 21 February 202216th Roel Coumans 1 March 2022 Al-Faisaly Daniel Ramos 24 February 202213th Marinos Ouzounidis 27 February 2022 Al-Ettifaq Vladan MilojevićSacked 1 March 202215th Patrice Carteron 4 March 2022 Al-Ahli Besnik Hasi 4 March 202211th Robert Siboldi 5 March 2022 Al-Taawoun José Gomes Mutual consent 20 March 202213th John van den Brom 31 March 2022 Al-Shabab Péricles ChamuscaSacked 23 March 20224th Marius Șumudică 23 March 2022 Al-Taawoun John van den Brom 7 May 202214th Mohammed Al-Abdali (caretaker) 7 May 2022 Al-Raed João Pedro Sousa 24 May 202212th Yousef Al-Ghadeer 6 June 2022
Foreign players The policy of foreign players remained unchanged. Clubs can register a total of seven foreign players over the course of the season.
Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window. Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Former Players Abha Tayeb Meziani Amine Atouchi Abdelali Mhamdi Uroš Matić Mitchell te Vrede Saad Bguir Bilel Ifa Prestige Mboungou Dani Suárez Al-Ahli Carlos Eduardo Dankler Franck Kom Filip Bradarić Ezgjan Alioski Omar Al Somah Paulinho Alassane Ndao Ljubomir Fejsa Hamdi Nagguez Al-Batin Fábio Abreu Maurício Antônio Renato Chaves Youssef El Jebli Mohamed Rayhi Martín Campaña Afriyie Acquah Al-Ettifaq Ayoub Abdellaoui Raïs M'Bolhi Youssouf Niakaté Amin Younes Filip Kiss Robin Quaison Naïm Sliti Souza Walid Azaro Al-Faisaly Martin Boyle Clayson Igor Rossi Ismael Rossi Júlio Tavares Hicham Faik Guilherme Augusto Raphael Silva Romain Amalfitano Al-Fateh Sofiane Bendebka Petros Ivan Santini Mourad Batna Marwane Saâdane Christian Cueva Maksym Koval Gustav Wikheim Al-Fayha Ramon Lopes Ricardo Ryller Samuel Owusu Panagiotis Tachtsidis Amadou Moutari Aleksandar Trajkovski Vladimir Stojković Fernando Andrade Kyriakos Papadopoulos John Boye Al-Hazem Alison Neris Abdelilah Hafidi Nawfel Zerhouni Ola John Ezekiel Henty Luka Stojanović Malik Asselah Ibrahima Tandia Moha Tiago Rodrigues Carlos Strandberg Al-Hilal Michael Matheus Pereira Gustavo Cuéllar Moussa Marega Odion Ighalo André Carrillo Jang Hyun-soo Luciano Vietto Bafétimbi Gomis Al-Ittihad Bruno Henrique Igor Coronado Marcelo Grohe Romarinho Ahmed Hegazi Abderrazak Hamdallah André André Garry Rodrigues Youssouf Niakaté Karim El Ahmadi Al-Nassr Pity Martínez Ramiro Funes Mori Anselmo Talisca Vincent Aboubakar Jonathan Rodríguez Jaloliddin Masharipov Petros Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-Raed Eduardo Henrique René Christian Atsu Karim El Berkaoui Mohamed Fouzair Éder Iago Herrerín Al-Shabab Éver Banega Luciano Vietto Carlos Júnior Iago Santos Paulinho John Mary Alfred N'Diaye Sebá Igor Lichnovsky Odion Ighalo Al-Taawoun Cássio Léandre Tawamba Christian Luyindama Mostafa Fathi Aschraf El Mahdioui Álvaro Medrán Zé Luís Iago Santos Sandro Manoel Cédric Amissi Henrique Luvannor Kaku Al-Tai Amir Sayoud Tobías Figueroa Dener Marcelo Collins Fai Cephas Malele Knowledge Musona Lucas Martin Lukov Damac Farouk Chafaï Hillal Soudani Moustapha Zeghba Sergio Vittor Emilio Zelaya Domagoj Antolić Nono Filipe Augusto Mijo Caktaš
League table
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 to the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward. If a club from the Saudi Professional League wins the King Cup, they will qualify for the AFC Champions League, unless they have already qualified for it through their league position. In this case, an additional AFC Champions League group stage berth will be given to the 3rd placed team, and the AFC Champions League play-off round spot will be given to 4th.
Results
Season statistics
Scoring Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Odion IghaloAl-Shabab/Al-Hilal242 RomarinhoAl-Ittihad20 TaliscaAl-Nassr4 Léandre TawambaAl-Taawoun185 Abderrazak HamdallahAl-Nassr/Al-Ittihad156 Emilio ZelayaDamac13 Karim El BerkaouiAl-Raed CarlosAl-Shabab Moussa MaregaAl-Hilal10 Firas Al-BuraikanAl-Fateh11
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Abderrazak Hamdallah Al-Ittihad Al-Ahli 4–3 (A) Odion Ighalo Al-Hilal Al-Ahli 4–2 (H) Firas Al-Buraikan Al-Fateh Damac 3–0 (A) Notes (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Clean sheets
RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Vladimir StojkovićAl-Fayha132 Marcelo GroheAl-Ittihad123 Abdullah Al-MayoufAl-Hilal114 Maksym KovalAl-Fateh9 Fawaz Al-QarniAl-Shabab6 Moustapha ZeghbaDamac8 Martín CampañaAl-Batin8 Raïs M'BolhiAl-Ettifaq7 Abdelali MhamdiAbha Mustafa MalayekahAl-Faisaly
Discipline
Player
Most yellow cards: 10 Saeed Al-Rubaie (Al-Ettifaq) Ismael (Al-Faisaly)
Most red cards: 2 Marwane Saâdane (Al-Fateh) Ammar Al-Daheem (Al-Fateh) Abdullah Al-Shammeri (Al-Hazem) Mohammed Al-Khabrani (Al-Ahli) Éver Banega (Al-Shabab) Talisca (Al-Nassr)
Club
Most yellow cards: 77 Al-Ahli Al-Taawoun
Most red cards: 8 Al-Ettifaq
Attendances By round + 2021–22 Professional League AttendanceRoundTotalAvg. Per Game Round 1 38,554 8 4,820 Round 2 43,357 8 5,420 Round 3 46,759 8 5,845 Round 4 66,838 8 8,355 Round 5 50,724 8 6,341 Round 6 73,053 8 9,132 Round 7 39,761 8 4,971 Round 8 63,970 8 7,997 Round 9 69,559 8 8,695 Round 10 59,643 8 7,456 Round 11 99,764 8 12,471 Round 12 43,070 8 5,384 Round 13 102,742 8 12,843 Round 14 60,736 8 7,592 Round 15 30,641 8 3,831 Round 16 61,124 8 7,641 Round 17 44,604 8 5,576 Round 18 58,788 8 7,349 Round 19 44,528 8 5,566 Round 20 40,133 7 5,734 Round 21 39,750 8 4,969 Round 22 48,731 8 6,092 Round 23 65,566 8 8,196 Round 24 86,528 8 10,816 Round 25 90,813 7 12,974 Round 26 50,955 8 6,370 Round 27 119,916 7 17,131 Round 28 51,816 8 6,477 Round 29 85,769 8 10,722 Round 30 90,487 8 11,311 Total 1,868,679 237 7,885
By team A match played behind closed doors is not included.
Awards Monthly awards