Athletic Club captain Inaki Williams has said that hosting the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia is “s—”.

The competition, which pits the Copa del Rey and La Liga winners and runners-up against each other, has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2019-20, as agreed by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Saudi Arabia has a contract to host the event until 2029.

Williams, 31, spoke to media ahead of Athletic Club’s first fixture against champions Barcelona in Jeddah on January 7. Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid make up the second semi-final.

“For me, playing (the tournament) in Saudi Arabia is s—,” he said. “Taking a national competition out to another country does not make things easy for (the fans) to move and follow the games.

“When we play there, it feels like we are the away team. Above that, in the upcoming days, I am going to be a dad, and it is a big hassle to go away with my wife and son here.”

The winger said he would nevertheless “be available” and “try to do my best” but has criticised the location of the tournament before, telling media earlier this year, via Goal, it made “no sense”.

“It’s a shame that such a beautiful match was played so far away because I think that if it had been played closer, the stadium would have been filled with many of our fans,” the Ghana international said.

Williams is not the only Athletic player to have taken an openly critical stance on the arrangement. Team-mate Unai Simon said in November that “instead of 40,000 or 50,000 travelling in Spain, 2,000 will travel” if it is held in Saudi Arabia.

“Less and less (will come) each time,” he said, per AS. “Because those who have been saw what was there and they don’t want to go back.

“My family members don’t want to return this year.”

In January, Spain’s main football supporters’ association warned of the risk for female fans in the country after partners of Real Mallorca players alleged they were “harrassed” during their Super Cup semi-final.

Saudi Arabia has often been criticised as a venue for hosting football due to the country’s restriction of women’s rights and making homosexuality illegal, as examined by The Athletic in 2023.

Athletic next play in La Liga on January 3 before travelling to Saudi Arabia for their semi-final on January 7. If they win, they will play in the final on January 11 before going back to Spain for a league match against Mallorca six days later.