The 2021–22 Saudi Third Division was the inaugural season of the Saudi Third Division, the newly introduced fourth tier of Saudi football. The season started on 28 October 2021 and concluded with the final on 19 March 2022. The group stage draw was held on 7 June 2021. The league was made up of 32 teams, 4 relegated teams from the 2020–21 Saudi Second Division and the 28 teams that qualified for the Round of 32 of the 2020–21 Saudi Third Division.
The final was played on 19 March 2022 between Al-Qous and Al-Suqoor. Al-Suqoor defeated Al-Qous 2–1 to become the inaugural champions.
Overview Background On 9 October 2020, the Saudi FF announced the introduction of the Saudi Third Division starting from the 2021–22 season. The newly introduced league would replace the Regional Leagues as the fourth tier of the Saudi football league system. They announced that the league would comprise 32 teams, the 28 teams that had qualified to the round of 32 of the Regional Leagues and did not achieve promotion to the 2021–22 Saudi Second Division and the 4 relegated teams from the 2020–21 Saudi Second Division.
The 32 teams would be split into 4 groups of 8 teams, with the winners of each group qualifying for the championship play-offs. In addition, the 4 group runners-up would also qualify for the promotion play-offs. The best runner-up would face the worst runner-up and the second best would face the third best. The winners from both matches would also earn promotion to the Second Division. The last-placed team of each group would be the one to get relegated.
Teams ;Group A
Club Location Stadium Al-Bateen Dhurma Al-Bateen Club Stadium Al-Ghottah Mawqaq Al-Jabalain Club Stadium (Ha'il) Al-Houra Umluj Al-Houra Club Stadium Al-Ula Al-'Ula Al-Ansar Club Stadium (Medina) Jerash Ahad Rafidah Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Reserve Stadium (Abha) Kumait Marat Kumait Club Stadium Mudhar Qatif Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Stadium Qilwah Qilwah Qilwah Club Stadium
Group B
Club Location Stadium Al-Anwar Hotat Bani Tamim Al-Anwar Club Stadium Al-Dera'a Dawadmi Al-Dera'a Club Stadium Al-Fursan Sarat Ubaida Al-Fursan Club Stadium Al-Hejaz Baljurashi King Saud Sport City Stadium (Al Bahah) Al-Jubail Jubail Al-Jubail Club Stadium Al-Shaheed Muhayil Al-Shaheed Club Stadium Al-Suqoor Tabuk King Khalid Sport City Stadium Baish Baish Baish Club Stadium
Group C
Club Location Stadium Al-Fao Wadi ad-Dawasir Prince Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Sports City Al-Mujazzal Al Majma'ah Al-Hamadah Club Stadium (Al-Ghat) Al-Noor Sanabes Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Stadium (Qatif) Al-Qala Sakakah Al-Qala Club Stadium Qaryah Al-Ulya Qaryat al-Ulya Qaryah Al-Ulya Club Stadium Radwa Yanbu Al-Majd Club Stadium Sajer Sajir Al-Washm Club Stadium (Shaqra) Sharurah Sharurah Sharurah Club Stadium
Group D
Club Location Stadium Al-Amjad Sabya King Faisal Sport City Stadium (Jizan) Al-Entelaq Qara Al-Orobah Club Stadium (Sakakah) Al-Omran Al-Hasa Hajer Club Stadium Al-Qawarah Al Quwarah Al-Qawarah Club Stadium Al-Qous Al Khurmah Al-Qous Club Stadium Al-Selmiyah Al-Salamiyah Al-Anwar Club Stadium (Hotat Bani Tamim) Al-Shaeib Huraymila Irqah Sports Stadium (Riyadh) Al-Watani Tabuk King Khalid Sport City Stadium
Group A League table
Results
Group B League table
Results
Group C League table
Results
Group D League table
Results
Play-offs Championship play-offs Semi-finals
Final
Promotion play-offs
0–0 on aggregate. Qilwah won 8–7 on penalties.
Al-Shaeib won 3–1 on aggregate.
Statistics Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Hamed Al-Shammari Qaryah Al-Ulya122 Abdulrahman Moussa Al-Zahrani Al-Suqoor93 Naif Abdali Baish84 Faisal Al-Lehji Al-Shaeib7 Nawaf Asiri Al-Watani Hani Al-Dhahi Mudhar7 Hossam Al-Shathli Al-Jubail6 Ali Al-Anbar Al-Selmiyah Fahad Attiah Al-Rashidi Al-Suqoor Qassem Al-Jassem Mudhar Mohammed Jamaan Al-Ghamdi Qilwah Yousef Allati Al-Houra Moussa Abbas Al-Noor
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ali Al-Anbar Al-Selmiyah Al-Entelaq 4–4 (A) Naif Abdali Baish Al-Hejaz 3–0 (A) Abdulrahman Al-Zahrani Al-Suqoor Al-Anwar 5–1 (H) Hamed Al-Shammari Qaryah Al-Ulya Al-Noor 4–2 (H) Mazen Al-Johani Radwa Al-Fao 4–0 (A) Ali Al-Anbar Al-Selmiyah Al-Omran 3–1 (H) Faisal Hassan Al-Hejaz Baish 3–3 (A) Hammad Al-Buraiki Sharurah Radwa 3–1 (H) Hamed Al-Shammari Qaryah Al-Ulya Al-Noor 4–2 (A) Nawaf Asiri Al-Watani Al-Selmiyah 4–1 (A)
Note (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Number of teams by province RankProvinceNumber Teams1Riyadh9Al-Anwar, Al-Bateen, Al-Dera'a, Al-Fao, Al-Mujazzal, Al-Selmiyah, Al-Shaeib, Kumait and Sajer2Eastern Province5Al-Jubail, Al-Noor, Al-Omran, Mudhar and Qaryah Al-Ulya3Asir3Al-Fursan, Al-Shaheed and JerashTabukAl-Houra, Al-Suqoor and Al-Watani5Al-Bahah2Al-Hejaz and QilwahAl JawfAl-Entelaq and Al-QalaJazanAl-Amjad and BaishMedinaAl-Ula and Radwa9Al-Qassim1Al-QawarahHa'ilAl-GhottahMeccaAl-QousNajranSharurah
See also 2021–22 Saudi Professional League 2021–22 Saudi First Division League 2021–22 Saudi Second Division
References