Al Qadsiah shortlisted for global player recruitment award

Al Qadsiah have become the first Saudi Arabian club to be nominated for TransferRoom’s Player Recruitment Team of the Year award, marking a notable entry for the Kingdom on the international football stage.

The nominations were announced at an event hosted by TransferRoom in Lisbon, Portugal, as the digital marketplace reached a landmark 10,000 completed deals. The figure underlines the platform’s growing role in the football industry and the global transfer market.

Al Qadsiah are one of 10 clubs from across the world competing for the award. The shortlist also includes Atletico de Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, VfB Stuttgart, Club Brugge, Sunderland, Flamengo, Orlando City, Viking and Dinamo Zagreb.

The Saudi club’s nomination places it alongside organisations with a range of experience in identifying talent and building squads. It also recognises work that extends beyond signing high-profile players, including recruitment based on sporting requirements, long-term planning and financial considerations.

New awards for the football industry

TransferRoom is holding its inaugural awards to recognise achievement in several areas of football. The categories include Best Players’ Agency, Loan Management Team of the Year, Player Recruitment Team of the Year, Intelligence and Innovation, and Leader of the Year.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday in Estoril, Portugal. The final shortlists and winners will be decided by votes from professionals and experts working in football, giving the awards a focus on specialist opinion within the transfer market.

TransferRoom was founded in 2016 as a digital marketplace connecting clubs and football agents. Its services include tools for identifying and promoting talent, as well as communicating about permanent transfers and loan deals.

The platform’s network includes more than 800 clubs across more than 130 leagues worldwide. Al Qadsiah’s nomination therefore represents a significant step in the growing presence of Saudi clubs within that international system.

The award recognises the club’s recruitment operation at a time when transfer departments are assessed not only by the profile of the players they sign, but also by how effectively those decisions fit a team’s tactical needs and wider sporting strategy.