During the World Cup, some of the biggest names in sports will be in Qatar, so youth football academies in neighbouring Saudi Arabia expect a spike in registrations.

As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda, the Gulf kingdom has long been obsessed with football, but recent years have seen an increase in interest in playing the sport - not just watching it.

One of the wannabe Messis and Neymars is 11-year-old Abdulrahman al-Ghamdi, who first put on cleats two years ago, encouraged by an uncle who played for Al Nassr.

I started loving it the day I stepped on the pitch," Ghamdi told AFP.

Prior to World Cup fever sweeping the Arab world, local academies were struggling to accommodate the needs of young players.

As Saudi Arabia develops its youth teams and potentially bids for the 2030 World Cup, leveling the playing field should be a top priority, according to Karim Ziane, general manager of the kingdom's French Football Federation Academy.

"Definitely" Saudi Arabia is a country of football, he told AFP.

This passion is no different from anywhere else," Ziane said. "They love playing, watching, cheering, and supporting." The only difference is whether they have access to it."