By Srijita Chakraborty
Saudi Arabia has made groundbreaking history by officially launching its first women’s sports channel, marking a milestone for female athletes in the kingdom.
The All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), co-founded by Oscar-winning actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg, unveiled “SSC AWSN,” a 24-hour channel that began broadcasting on Friday. The initiative is a collaboration between AWSN, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, and national broadcaster Saudi Sports Company, with availability also provided through the MBC Shahid streaming platform.
The launch coincided with the kickoff of the Saudi Women’s Premier League season, which is being broadcast both domestically and internationally for the first time. AWSN confirmed the channel will feature a weekly prime-time match from the league, alongside coverage of international women’s competitions such as UEFA events and other global sports.
“Together, we are breaking barriers by providing global coverage of Saudi women’s sports while introducing to the kingdom an unprecedented lineup of international leagues and talent,” said AWSN CEO and co-founder George Chung.
Until recent years, female participation in sports was almost nonexistent in the kingdom. Girls were barred from school sports until 2017, and women were excluded from stadiums until 2018. The launch of SSC AWSN reflects Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 reforms, which aim to diversify the economy and expand social opportunities.
Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud, Saudi ambassador to the United States and a leading advocate for women’s sports, praised the initiative: “Since the launch of the Women’s Premier League in 2022, I have been immensely proud of the progress it has made. With this partnership, their fans abroad will be able to watch them live.”
Officials have hailed the channel as a transformative milestone, bringing Saudi female athletes unprecedented global recognition.