Farida Hanafi
Farida Ashraf Mohamed Hanafi is an Egyptian naturalized Saudi professional footballer who plays as a defender for Saudi Women's Premier League side Al-Ahli and the Saudi Arabia national football team.
Early life
Hanafi was born into a football-loving family and was first inspired to play the sport by her older brother. Supported by both parents, she trained regularly despite the absence of organized women's football in Saudi Arabia at the time. At the age of 13, she began individual training and later joined a girls' football academy, which included a development trip to Valencia, Spain.Club career
Following the establishment of the Saudi Women's Premier League, Hanafi joined the Riyadh-based club Al-Shabab. The 16-year-old defender made her debut in a 2–1 victory against Al-Ahli on 19 November 2022 and scored her first and only goal for the club in a 19–0 win over Sama on 11 February 2023.Ahead of the 2023–24 season, she moved to Al-Ahli and made her debut on 14 October 2023 in the season opener against her former club Al-Shabab. She scored her first goal for Al-Ahli on 26 January 2024 in a 5–1 victory over Al-Hilal. On 2 September 2025, she renewed her contract until 2026.