A new Kuwaiti influence in non-league football

Salisbury FC owner Ali Alhamad says that a recent trial for Kuwaiti football players at the sixth-tier side was a "huge success".

This summer the National League South club were involved with an event in Kuwait in which 400 trialists took part for the chance to train with them in the UK.

The three selected players spent nine days at Salisbury, but Alhamad, who bought the Wiltshire club in June 2025, said it was not possible for the trio to join the team permanently.

"It's very hard to get work permits over here but the trial was a huge success," the Kuwaiti businessman told BBC South Today.

"We had over 400 players trialling and our coaching staff all flew over. They (the successful triallists) had nine days of intensive football.

"We knew they wouldn't be able to get work permits, but it was for them to see football over here and it was a way for me to give back to Kuwait.

"With the profile of the club boosted, we got lots of business enquiries and sponsorships from Kuwait and the Gulf.

"We are getting much better sponsorship deals than many other non-league teams."

Alhamad revealed that since taking Salisbury over, interest in the club from his home country has increased and there are now a number of Kuwaiti sponsors at the club, including their main shirt sponsor.

His company Proleague Ltd has also recently acquired Andover Town, external, who compete in Division One of the Hampshire Premier League, the 11th tier of English football.

Andover Town are run by Alhamad's business partner Mohammad Alkandari.

"We hope to mimic what we've done at Salisbury with Andover," Alhamad said.

"When we met with the people and the council there, they basically said that they like what we've done at Salisbury and they want that there.

"They said that they want to be a community club where they're close to everyone."

Alhamad said that the decision to get involved with this level of football was not a financial one, but came from his affection for the sport.

Salisbury finished 17th in the National League South last season and have started this campaign with two wins, two draws and two losses.

With the club active in the community and with local schools as they look to attract more people to the Ray Mac Stadium on matchdays, Alhamad is hoping to make an impact both on and off the pitch with the club.

"This is not a money-making venture at all," he said. "I'm 99.9% sure we are not going to make money on this.

"It's doing something that you love and having an effect on people in and around the football club. This club intrigued me because of the potential.

"When I did purchase the club there were understandably a few eyebrows raised, but after a year I think that's gone away. I'm here for the love of football and I'm enjoying every second.

"Also, at the end of the day, I'm Kuwaiti and an ambassador of my country and my culture. This also feels like something much deeper than business. We're part of the community and this is what I'm loving doing."