Jeddah – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, announced on Saturday that fans will be granted free entry to watch the Saudi Arabian national team’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Japan.

The match will be held at the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Sports City in Jeddah on Tuesday.

The Crown Prince made his gesture in recognition of the Saudi fans’ support of their national football team.

Head of the sports general board Mohammed bin Abdul Malek Al Sheikh expressed his gratitude to Prince Mohammed’s gesture, thanking him for this “support that acts as a major motivator for the players of the Saudi team to qualify to the World Cup.”

He added that this reflects the Crown Prince’s constant keenness on sports to motivate them to achieve the best possible results at all international events and to represent their country as best as possible.

He also hailed the effective role the fans play in spurring on the players, wishing the national team success in qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Russia.

Head of the Saudi football federation Adel Izzat said that Prince Mohammed’s gesture is an extension of his interest in the youth and sports sector.

He credited the Crown Prince for helping the federation overcome several obstacles in its mission to achieve its goals.

Japan leads Saudi 2-1 in the two-leg qualifiers. The first game was played in November 2016.