Saudi Arabia will see the launch of its first dedicated women’s sports channel on Friday through a partnership between the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), the Saudi Sports Company (SSC), and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
The 24-hour channel, SSC AWSN, will be available via the MBC Shahid streaming platform, giving fans access to live coverage of the Saudi Women’s Premier League as well as international competitions.
AWSN, co-founded last year by Oscar-winning actor Whoopi Goldberg, is the first global network focused solely on women’s sports. Its entry into the Saudi market comes at a pivotal moment for women’s athletics in the kingdom.
Until 2017, girls were banned from playing sports at public schools, while women were only allowed into stadiums a year later.
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Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, has been at the forefront of policy changes that opened new opportunities for female athletes. She praised the progress of the Women’s Premier League, which now features players from more than 20 nationalities.
“This partnership means their fans abroad will be able to watch them live,” she said.
The channel will air a prime-time league game each week alongside UEFA tournaments and other women’s sporting events. George Chung, AWSN’s co-founder, called it “a transformative step to break barriers and bring Saudi women’s sports to the world.”
Officials say the move aligns with Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy and expand Saudi participation in global industries.