Abdullah Al-Majed has confirmed he is leaving his role as president of Al-Nassr after the end of his official term, becoming the second head of a major Saudi club to stand down within hours amid wider structural changes in the game.
Al-Majed’s announcement on Saturday came shortly after reports that Al-Ahli president Khalid Al-Ghamdi had decided to vacate his position in order to run for the presidency of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, succeeding former federation chief Yasser Al-Misehal.
Al-Majed said he would not continue in an automatic extension of his mandate under the clubs’ company system, citing professional commitments, and that his tenure at the Riyadh club had now formally concluded.
In a statement on his personal account on X, he wrote: “ان كان للاندية محبين، فان للنصر عشاقا؛ لا تتغير مكانته في قلوبهم بتغير مواقعهم”.
He continued: “اليوم، اترك كرسي الرياسة بعد انتهاء الفترة النظامية، وعدم رغبتي بالاستمرار في فترة التمديد التلقايي لنظام الشركات؛ لظروفي العملية”.
Title-winning spell
Al-Majed described his two-season spell in charge as a period filled with “unforgettable” moments and major challenges, culminating in league glory.
He said: “عشت فترة ساحمل ذكرياتها التي لا تنسى، ولحظاتها الخالدة وتحدياتها المعلنة والخفية، توجت في نهايتها بتحقيق الدوري الاصعب”.
Al-Nassr, one of the four Saudi Pro League clubs majority-owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), won the Roshn Saudi League under Al-Majed after a seven-year wait for the domestic title.
The outgoing president used his message to thank a wide range of figures at the club, from the fanbase to those working behind the scenes.
“الشكر لله اولا واخرا، ثم لكم انتم جمهور الوفاء الذي صبر فظفر، اشكر زملايي في مجلس الادارة، واعضاء الشرف، والاجهزة الفنية، والادارية، واللاعبين، وجميع اللجان والمجالس على جهودهم خلال فترة كانت مليية بقصص الوفاء والانتماء”، he said.
Return to the stands
Al-Majed also stressed he would now go back to supporting the club from the terraces and pledged that his voting power in the coming electoral process would be used in line with the wishes of Al-Nassr supporters.
He added: “اعود للمدرج الاصفر كما كنت، اما الاصوات التي املكها لترشيح الادارة القادمة، فستكون ملكا لجمهور النصر، وسادعم اي مرشح ترون انه خيارا مثاليا للنادي، والاكيد بانني الداعم الاول لكل من سيخدم الكيان النصراوي”.
His exit follows a series of local reports indicating there is a move to abolish the role of president of the non-profit foundation entities at Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad – all clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund – as part of plans to offer these non-profit arms for sale in the coming period.
Background to the changes
Khalid Al-Ghamdi’s decision to leave Al-Ahli and pursue the top job at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation is part of a broader reshaping of football governance in the kingdom following the end of Yasser Al-Misehal’s term as federation president.
Within this context, the reported intention to scrap the non-profit foundation presidencies at the three PIF-owned clubs has fuelled speculation about a new operational model for Saudi clubs, particularly regarding ownership structures and corporate governance.
Al-Majed, who has now completed two seasons at the helm of Al-Nassr, departs having delivered the club’s first Roshn Saudi League title in seven years and having overseen a period that he characterised as rich in “stories of loyalty and belonging”.
With both Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli now heading towards leadership changes, attention will turn to the selection of new presidents and to how any restructuring of the non-profit foundations will shape the next phase of Saudi club football.
