Meet the mom and driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s first women’s football team

Meet the mom and driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s first women’s football team
Maram Al-Butairi got into coaching when her daughter, now 15, started to play football. (Supplied)
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Updated 22 September 2024
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Meet the mom and driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s first women’s football team

Meet the mom and driving force behind Saudi Arabia’s first women’s football team
  • The pioneering club has competed at the highest levels in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region

DAMMAM: Maram Al-Butairi epitomizes grace under pressure. For the past 18 years, she has been at the helm of the Eastern Flames, the Kingdom’s first women’s football club, perfectly polished and always ready to play.

Since it was established in 2006, the pioneering club has competed at the highest levels in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, Al-Butairi, now the club’s owner and CEO, told Arab News.

“I have four teams: a first team, youth teams, and a futsal team with about 64 players — or I would call them sisters and daughters,” she said.

Al-Butairi was the first girl in her family after a string of male cousins, and immediately became their pride and joy. “That’s the meaning of my name, ‘Maram.’ Actually, it’s ‘your goal,’ the thing that you really want, that’s your Maram.”

As a young girl she loved football. And she was good at it, too, playing with her cousins and beating them. Her mother, an athlete who grew up in Kuwait, is a self-described “diehard football fanatic.”




Players learn how to accept defeat, and to bounce back after a minor fall or setback. (Supplied)

Soon enough, Al-Butairi found her own Maram.

“Football, like in any team sport, it teaches you a lot of values. The values that I care about the most, that I can teach my kids, is the Montessori way, which is to focus on loyalty, time management, because they need to manage their time,” she said.

After marrying, Al-Butairi moved to the US and studied finance at a private university, where she discovered that a number of students attended on athletic scholarships.

It got her thinking.

“Why don’t we have scholarships for athletes in Saudi Arabia?” she wondered. “I was there because the government supported me, but I thought, what if I have kids and the government support is no longer there?”

In 2006, she founded Eastern Flames, named after the Eastern Province, where she was raised. She started coaching when her daughter, now 15, began to play football.




Maram Al-Butairi got into coaching when her daughter, now 15, started to play football. (Supplied)

During the global pandemic, Al-Butairi returned to studying and earned her Master of Business Administration.

Today, she uses her business knowledge to help set young women players on the path to success.

By providing a livable wage in their contracts, she tries to provide them with a practical pathway to financial independence, as well as viable career options once they leave the sport.

On her platforms, she highlights how sports allow children to develop “soft skills,” such as learning how to listen to their bodies, remembering to eat well, and to be mindful of teammates and excel at time-management.

Players also learn how to accept defeat, and to bounce back after a minor fall or setback.

In 2024, the Kingdom offers the youth of the country ample opportunity to explore the full potential of the sport. And Al-Butairi is there for it all.




Players learn how to accept defeat, and to bounce back after a minor fall or setback. (Supplied)

“Note that I’m a businesswoman who decided to invest in sport a long time ago, and spent more than SR3 million ($800,200) last year to make sure that I can compete against the big clubs. This is not only passion, I am investing in the Saudi Arabian vision,” she said.

Arab News attended a recent friendly game between two opposing teams in Dammam. Before the match, Al-Butairi’s 13-year-old son Faisal stood watching.

“He’s not playing in my club because my club is women-only, but he’s here to support me,” his mother said, as the boy smiled.

“I’m proud of my mom, she’s doing something different,” he told Arab News.

While shouting encouragement to Eastern Flames players, Al-Butairi also spent her time on the sidelines jotting down observations in a small notebook to exchange later with the coach.

Her true joy, she said, was watching the players excel both on and off the pitch. Whether some go on to pursue the sport professionally was not her main concern. Instead, she wanted to ensure that everyone — spectators, coaches, players, potential players, and anyone watching on her Snapchat screen — had a good time.




 Today, Maram Al-Butairi uses her business knowledge to help set young women players on the path to success. (Supplied)

“This is the difference between male and female football,” she said.

Women’s football prioritizes giving everyone a chance to play, and is not about gatekeeping or being focused on the final score as much as ensuring that everyone puts in their best effort, she added.

Al-Butairi’s excitement was obvious as she sipped coconut-infused water and gave out enthusiastic high-fives to everyone around her, from Eastern Flames players to the opposing team.

“I love it. I love all of it. Football is fun,” she said with a laugh.

“Eastern Flames was established in 2006, so 18 years ago, which is older than my kids. It’s my third baby,” she said.


Restoration efforts bring new life to Saudi historic Kasbat Al-Midmar

Restoration efforts bring new life to Saudi historic Kasbat Al-Midmar
Updated 20 July 2025
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Restoration efforts bring new life to Saudi historic Kasbat Al-Midmar

Restoration efforts bring new life to Saudi historic Kasbat Al-Midmar
  • The recently restored structure is now preserved under the supervision of Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission

RIYADH: In the heart of Badr Al-Janoub governorate, the historic Kasbat Al-Midmar rises proudly from the old district — a striking reminder of Saudi Arabia’s deep architectural and cultural heritage.

Built more than 300 years ago, the kasbah, or watchtower, is a seven-story mudbrick structure designed in the traditional circular form, wide at the base and tapering as it ascends, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Originally built as a watchtower to safeguard nearby farmlands, it still looks out over the village and valley today.

FASTFACT

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission continues to protect and restore the region’s historic buildings, placing them on the National Antiquities Register as part of the Kingdom’s cultural legacy.

The recently restored structure is now preserved under the supervision of the Kingdom’s Heritage Commission.

Surrounding the kasbah are the remnants of traditional mud houses, part of a network of historical fortresses and homes that reflect the enduring legacy of the region.

These buildings illustrate the ingenuity of local architecture and the importance of such fortifications in the daily life of previous communities.

Manea Naji Al-Saad, vice president of the Najran Society for History and Archaeology, told SPA that the governorate where aware that Badr Al-Janoub is rich in archeological sites, including old mud houses and Qishla Castle, which stands atop Mount Al-Qarah.

Nearby is Al-Thaghr Palace, a structure dating back to the First Saudi State. Built by the order of Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammad in 1221 AH, the four-story palace is made of stone and features a large protective wall and a deep central well.

The commission continues to protect and restore the region’s historic buildings, placing them on the National Antiquities Register as part of the Kingdom’s cultural legacy, the SPA reported.

 


Research grants to revive Saudi Arabia’s craft heritage

Research grants to revive Saudi Arabia’s craft heritage
Updated 20 July 2025
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Research grants to revive Saudi Arabia’s craft heritage

Research grants to revive Saudi Arabia’s craft heritage
  • Program offers funding in six categories to explore how traditional skills sustain culture and economy

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, has announced a new research grant initiative to study traditional handicrafts.

As part of the Year of Handicrafts campaign, the program invites scholars to examine how traditional crafts preserve cultural knowledge, embody inherited skills, fulfill social roles, and reflect economic practices that have shaped Saudi society.

The grant covers six research categories to provide insights into handicraft studies. Applications are open until Sept. 1, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Historical research will trace the development of surviving and lost crafts over time, examining how social, economic, and political changes have influenced them.

A second category focuses on craft promotion, investigating initiatives to support and institutionalize traditional handicrafts in contemporary Saudi society.

Economic impact and creative economy studies will analyze how handicrafts contribute to the national economy, including comparisons of domestic and international markets for handmade cultural goods.

Technology integration research explores how modern techniques, design and digital tools intersect with traditional methods to create market-ready products.

Social research will examine community relationships with handicrafts and how cultural perceptions affect the sector’s growth and sustainability.

The final category addresses conceptual frameworks, critically analyzing handicraft terminology, its evolution, and making comparisons with related concepts such as cultural industries, fine arts, and the roles of craftspeople versus artists.

Applicants must hold an advanced degree, master’s or doctorate, or demonstrate equivalent expertise through substantial research. Late submissions will not be considered.

Selected researchers must produce publication-ready papers suitable for peer-reviewed journals and comply with all guidelines and documentation on the grant website. Simultaneous submission to other funding bodies is prohibited unless the applicant withdraws from this program.

Beyond supporting individual projects, the grant aims to strengthen local expertise in handicraft studies, foster researcher networks, and promote traditional handicrafts as a key element of Saudi culture. Interested researchers can apply through the ministry’s website.

 


Saudi project clears 971 explosive devices in Yemen

The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. (Supplied)
The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. (Supplied)
Updated 20 July 2025
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Saudi project clears 971 explosive devices in Yemen

The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. (Supplied)
  • The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 971 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included 891 unexploded ordnance, 78 anti-tank mines, one anti-personnel mine and one improvised explosive device, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said that 506,437 mines have been cleared since the project began in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

Project Masam trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

 


Saudi Arabia’s Beit Hail festival draws 65,000 visitors since launch

Saudi Arabia’s Beit Hail festival draws 65,000 visitors since launch
Updated 20 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Beit Hail festival draws 65,000 visitors since launch

Saudi Arabia’s Beit Hail festival draws 65,000 visitors since launch
  • Event features an art pavilion presenting notable artists, a resin art exhibit and a folk theater
  • Several government leaders have visited the festival, praising its activities for recalling memories of traditional life

RIYADH: A heritage festival in Hail, northwestern Saudi Arabia, has attracted more than 65,000 visitors since it launched on June 28 from various Saudi cities as well as Gulf and international destinations.

The 30-day Beit Hail Festival at Aja Park offers a vibrant mix of cultural, artistic and heritage experiences, operating daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The festival will continue until July 27, offering an immersive celebration of cultural heritage that includes handicrafts, traditional dishes and Thamudic inscriptions.

Beit Hail features an art pavilion showcasing notable artists, a resin art exhibit, a folk theater, residential models inspired by heritage and performances highlighting the culture of Aseer province.

Several government leaders have visited the festival, praising its activities for recalling memories of traditional life and showcasing conventional methods of meeting daily needs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


Saudi minister leads KSA delegation at G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in South Africa

Saudi minister leads KSA delegation at G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in South Africa
Updated 20 July 2025
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Saudi minister leads KSA delegation at G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in South Africa

Saudi minister leads KSA delegation at G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in South Africa
  • Saudi Central Bank Governor Ayman Al-Sayari was among the officials in attendance

KwaZulu-Natal: Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan recently led the Kingdom’s delegation at the Third Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

At the meeting, the Saudi minister highlighted the need to accelerate reforms of the international trading system, adding that longstanding issues now require urgent action, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

“It is important that we move forward with reforms that reflect today’s evolving realities,” Al-Jadaan said.

Saudi Central Bank Governor Ayman Al-Sayari was among the officials in attendance.