Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal's Bold Move in Saudi Football

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal is on the verge of a seismic move in Saudi football that could redraw the sport’s ownership map.

The chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, which controls Al-Hilal, is expected to push to increase his stake in the Riyadh powerhouse from 70% to full ownership, according to prominent Saudi media figure Waleed Al-Farraj. If completed, Al-Hilal would become the first major Saudi club to move entirely into private hands.

Al-Waleed only took his 70% share in April, under a binding agreement between Kingdom Holding Company and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). That deal already marked a significant shift in the kingdom’s football project. A full takeover would go much further.

The timing is no coincidence. On Wednesday, the Saudi Ministry of Sport announced it had transferred its remaining 25% stakes in each of the four giants — Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli — directly to PIF. The state has stepped back. PIF has stepped in.

Now one of those clubs is preparing to step out.

Al-Farraj revealed the expected move on his programme “Rotana Sport with Waleed”, broadcast on the “Rotana Khalijia” channel. His words landed with extra force not just because of his profile, but because the channel itself is originally owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. When he talks about Al-Hilal’s future, people inside Saudi football listen.

If the prince follows through, Al-Hilal would stand alone as the only one of the four major clubs outside the PIF umbrella. A privately owned giant in a landscape dominated by sovereign wealth.

For now, Al-Hilal are the first to break away. The expectation around the league is clear: the other three will not be far behind.