The soccer clubs in the Kingdom are in for a big treat. The Saudi Professional League Commission has allocated SR69 million for a five-year development plan, Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal, Vice President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare and the head of the Commission, told a press conference in Dammam last week. The plan that includes an allocation of SR13.5 million per year is aimed at improving clubs' financial capacities and their performance. The five-year plan comes into force with immediate effect. Under the plan SR33 million have been allocated for winners, as SR50,000 will be awarded to teams for every match they win throughout the league's 22 rounds during the next five years. An amount of SR16.5 million is set aside for the round's best team. Teams claiming the award will bag SR150,000 for each round. Aside from awards for teams SR5.5 million has also been approved for best player at the end of every round for the next five years. It means each round's best player will take home SR50,000. An yearly sum of SR500,000 will also be given to the team that claims the Clean Play Award at the end of every season for the next five years. Out of SR10 million allocated for rising teams for the next five years, SR1 million will be granted to each team that reaches the Professional League every year. Referees have also been included in the scheme. An amount of SR2 million is allocated for best referees - SR50,000 for the best five referees and SR30,000 for the best five assistant referees at the end of each season. - Okaz/SG __
