Eastern Flames Football Club (Arabic: نادي شعلة الشرقية) is a Saudi professional women's football club based in Dammam. The club established in 2006 is the kingdom's first women's football club. Eastern Flames currently competes in the country's top-tier women's domestic competition, the Saudi Women's Premier League.
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| Full name | Eastern Flames Football Club Arabic: نادي شعلة الشرقية | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Flames | ||
| Founded | 2006 | ||
| Ground | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 26,000 | ||
| Owner | Maram Al-Butairi | ||
| Head coach | David Cabildo | ||
| League | Saudi Women's Premier League | ||
| 2023–24 | SWPL, 7th of 8 | ||
| Website | https://www.easternflamesfc.com/ | ||
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Domestically, Eastern Flames won the first SAFF Women's Regional League; East Region.[1]
History
editIn 2006, Kaye Smith founded the Eastern Flames, the first women's football club in the country, at a time when women's sports in Saudi Arabia were very limited. Over 14 years, the team transformed from a recreational activity within Aramco’s community into a full-fledged squad competing in regional tournaments. Since 2021, the Eastern Flames have also participated in national tournaments, reflecting the Saudi government's support for women's sports under the Quality of Life Program, a key initiative of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.[2]
The Beginning
editEastern Flames began with a small group of members, as Smith faced challenges in recruiting players and coaches due to religious and cultural restrictions. Despite this, the team managed to host tournaments in Dhahran behind closed doors, competing against other Saudi teams. In 2009, the Flames marked a significant milestone by participating in their first Rotary Club of Manama’s Charity Tournament in Bahrain. From the outset, the players demonstrated a strong commitment to their training, with both married and single women dedicating their lives to weekly practice sessions at the Hills Field within Aramco's Dhahran community.[2]
In 2010, the Eastern Flames sought to elevate their performance by joining the Arsenal Soccer School Cup league in Bahrain, aiming to become competitive by facing more experienced players. Despite enduring a challenging inaugural season without a single win, their belief in progress remained steadfast.[2]
In 2014, the Eastern Flames underwent a significant management restructuring. Maram Al-Butairi, a financial analyst at Aramco, became the manager, infusing the team with fresh energy and setting more ambitious goals. She appointed Karina Chapa as co-manager, marking a new chapter of growth and determination for the Eastern Flames.[2]
Working Harder, Getting Better
editSeeking to expand their squad and enhance the team's capabilities, the Eastern Flames' leaders actively recruited more players from within the company through word of mouth, The Arabian Sun, and community advertisements, aiming to build a richer talent pool. Despite these efforts, the club faced challenges due to the public nature of women's participation in sports. To address this, the Eastern Flames strive to raise awareness among local communities, aligning with the Kingdom's current direction of increasing women's participation in sports.[2]
In 2020, the Eastern Flames participated in their most significant tournament to date, the first women's football tournament at the Gulf Cooperation Council in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Supported by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, this event aimed to expose the Eastern Flames to professional players and help them leverage their skills. It marked a major milestone for the team, allowing them to compete against challenging opponents such as the UAE National Team, Al Ain Football Club, and the Super Soccer Team from Bahrain.[2]
Saudi Women's Regional, National and Premier League
editWith the start of national tournaments and championships in Saudi Arabia, the Eastern Flames ensured their participation in all events. They triumphed in the regional community championship and the Eastern Province regional championship, winning both titles consecutively in 2020 and 2021. Emerging victorious in the regional SAFF Women's League, the Eastern Flames secured their first-ever ticket to the Women's SAFF National League as the Eastern Representative.
On 15 September 2022, the Eastern Flames made history by being announced as one of the teams to contest Saudi Arabia's first-ever women's premier league. Since then, the club has strengthened its squad by signing several North African players and Colombian striker Sara Toro.[3]
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- As of 13 October 2024[4]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Honours
editDomestic
edit- SAFF Women's Regional League (Eastern region) (2, record):
(2020–21, 2021–22)
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ "step towards title saudi women league". al-ain.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Rise of the First Women's Football Club in Saudi Arabia". aramcoexpats.com. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ "5 foreign players support the Eastern Flames". arriyadiyah.com. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
- ^ "Al Qadsiah v Eastern Flames match Report". int.soccerway.com. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.