Let’s start with the simple headline fact: MLS is ranked as the ninth-best league in world football according to the Opta Power Rankings, whereas the Saudi Pro League is only as high as 33rd. To give you a better idea of what that means, the average Opta Power Rating of top-tier Saudi teams of 73.6 puts it just behind Colombia’s Primera A and on a level footing with the Greek Super League.
Furthermore, MLS is a tighter competition when it comes to team quality according to the Opta Power Rankings. There’s a difference of 638 places in the ranking between the highest- and lowest-ranked MLS teams; for the Saudi Pro League, the difference is a whopping 1,130 places.
However, the highest-ranked non-European team in the Opta Power Rankings is a Saudi Arabian side. Al Hilal are 34th, putting them just behind Athletic Club and Manchester United, but 35 spots ahead of the best-ranked MLS team, Columbus Crew. Interestingly, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Messi’s Inter Miami are almost side by side in the rankings, with the former 92nd and the latter 98th.
So, while the very best of the Saudi Pro League’s ceiling would appear to be higher than MLS’s, the Opta Power Rankings would consider the worst teams in MLS to be considerably better than the worst of the Pro League.