SPL · Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia · Al-Najma Club Stadium
Al-Najma SC
Back in the Saudi Pro League for the first time since 2003, Al-Najma bring over two decades of pent-up ambition from the Qassim heartland to the biggest stage in Saudi football.
1960–2003
The First Chapter
Top-flight football and a long descent.
Al-Najma were founded in 1960 in Unaizah, one of the principal cities of the Qassim Province in central Saudi Arabia. The club competed in the Saudi Pro League during the early 2000s, but relegation at the end of the 2002-03 season began a long exile from the top flight. For over two decades, Al-Najma competed in the lower divisions, maintaining their identity and community ties even as the top flight moved further away. The club's name — meaning 'The Star' — served as a reminder of aspirations that never dimmed, even through the darkest periods. Unaizah's passionate sporting community kept faith with Al-Najma through the years, sustaining the club financially and emotionally while they worked their way back up the pyramid.
Key Facts
- Founded in 1960 in Unaizah
- Competed in the Saudi Pro League in the early 2000s
- Relegated at the end of the 2002-03 season
2025–Present
The Return
Back in the top flight after 22 years away.
On May 12, 2025, Al-Najma secured promotion to the Saudi Pro League, ending a 22-year absence from the top flight. The achievement sent Unaizah into celebration and brought national attention to a club that had been largely forgotten outside the Qassim region. Portuguese manager Mário Silva was appointed to guide the club through their return season, bringing European tactical expertise to a squad that would need every advantage to compete against the SPL's star-studded lineups. Al-Najma's first Saudi Pro League match in over two decades was a moment of enormous emotional significance for the club's supporters. The challenge of survival in a league dominated by clubs spending hundreds of millions on players is immense, but the energy and determination that comes from a 22-year wait is a powerful force.
Key Facts
- Promoted on May 12, 2025
- First SPL season since 2002-03
- Mário Silva appointed as head coach
- 22-year gap between top-flight campaigns