Opec linchpin Saudi Arabia kicked off its first women’s football league last week as part of continuing efforts by the oil-producing giant to use sporting events to improve its image on the international stage.

Twenty-four teams based in the capital Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam are battling it out to compete for the Saudi Women’s Football League (WFL) championship cup.

The opening day of the inaugural league saw seven teams compete in Riyadh and Jeddah, although games were not televised.

The total prize fund for the eventual winners is 500,000 riyals ($133,000). By comparison, many top players in Europe’s leading men’s leagues would earn that amount and more on a weekly basis.

The state-run Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) said that, through the WFL, it is working "to empower women and to encourage them to become active and to participate in sports at the community level".

Involving women in sport and other traditionally male-dominated arenas has become a hallmark of the administration of Saudi’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Earlier this month, Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen won the top prize in Saudi Arabia’s first professional women’s golf tournament, which attracted 108 international players over four days and was sponsored by state oil behemoth Saudi Aramco.

Politics

Saudi Arabia plays ball as women's league kicks off