Saudi Gazette report

NEOM — In the far northwest of Saudi Arabia, just outside Tabuk, a football project with ambitious intent is quietly gaining momentum.

NEOM FC, the rebranded successor to Al-Suqoor, has quickly become one of the most intriguing stories in the Saudi football landscape — a club built to symbolize transformation.

Owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Premier League side Newcastle United, NEOM FC is designed to represent more than a city.

It’s being positioned as the footballing face of one of the Kingdom’s largest and most high-profile development initiatives — the NEOM giga-project — and, in the long term, a potential global football brand.

Last August, the unveiling of the club’s new name and identity drew an unexpected 10,000 spectators to King Khalid Sports City in Tabuk — a stadium where just months earlier, a few dozen fans might have gathered.

Clad in new blue kits and waving NEOM flags, supporters watched their team open the Saudi First Division League campaign against Al Jandal.

The atmosphere was different, the message clear: this wasn’t just a new name. This was a new direction.

The club’s overhaul wasn’t limited to branding. Executives with international experience were brought in to lead the operation.

Greek sporting director Kyriakos Dourekas arrived from Nottingham Forest. Moath Al-Owhali, formerly with Al Ettifaq, took over as CEO. Club president Mishari Al-Mutairi, a senior official at NEOM, underscored the link between sport and national development.

The strategy was underpinned by high-profile signings. Saudi national team captain Salman Al-Faraj joined from Al Hilal before injury halted his campaign.

Egypt international Ahmed Hegazi arrived from Al Ittihad. Pericles Chamusca, a familiar name in the Saudi coaching scene, was appointed head coach.

“This project is about more than football,” said Al-Mutairi. “It’s about building a professional, community-driven club that reflects the broader vision of NEOM.”

NEOM FC’s footballing ambitions are direct. The immediate goal: promotion to the Saudi Pro League. The longer view is sharper still — compete in the FIFA Club World Cup 2029, and eventually contribute to the 2034 FIFA World Cup that Saudi Arabia is set to host.

Plans are already in motion for a new stadium to be constructed within NEOM’s centerpiece development, The Line — a 170-km-long futuristic city. It’s here that the club hopes to be based in the coming years, aligning infrastructure with competitive ambition.

NEOM FC’s rise has already sparked a grassroots following. “Wahdat NEOM,” the team’s organized supporters’ group, has turned matches in Tabuk into vibrant affairs.

Pre-match fan zones, digital activations, and community events have helped create an atmosphere more reminiscent of Saudi Arabia’s top clubs than a First Division side.

The club’s 4-0 victory in its season opener set the tone. Flags waved, chants rang out, and for the first time, football in Tabuk felt like a destination.

While the club’s path remains in its early stages, NEOM FC is being positioned as a key part of the Kingdom’s evolving sporting identity. It’s a club built to reflect the next phase of Saudi football — professional, and ambitious.

For now, NEOM FC is a newly promoted side with big dreams. But with the infrastructure, investment, and planning behind it, the trajectory suggests a team with the potential to leave a lasting mark.