COMMUNITY
SHE CHEERS,
HE CHEERS:
GOAL!
Die-Hard Female Football Fans Take Riyadh Sports Stadium by Storm Thousands of cheering and flag-waving female football fans took King Fahd International Stadium by a storm on January 13 to support their favorite team in the professional league game that pitted Al-Hilal against Al-Ittihad, the first ever Saudi ‘Classico’ game of top teams attended by women in the Kingdom’s history. Scores of women in small and big groups waved Al-Ittihad’s yellow and black banners or Al-Hilal’s blue and white flags, lifting their arms in the air each time it looked a goal was in progress. The women joined other family members in enthusiastically singing their team anthems intermittently. The spirited game between two of the country’s top football clubs ended in a 1-1 draw. Teams of female ushers, wearing blue tops over their black abayas, guided the women and other family members to their seats in special sections of the stadium. According to the organizers, more than 7,000 seats were allocated for women in the stadium that has a capacity of over 68,000. “I am extremely glad to be here where the history 10 DESTINATION RIYADH FEBRUARY 2018
A girl gets her face painted with her favorite team’s colors ahead of a historic football game between Al Hilal and Al Ittihad on Jan.13 at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium.
Children pose in front of a poster of the Al Hilal