Saudi football league postpones three games amid regional tensions

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the league said the matchweek nine fixtures had been rescheduled due to logistical considerations and the requirement to maintain minimum rest periods between games.

Web desk

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15 Oct 2026

RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has postponed three matches, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr fixture, amid escalating conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the league said the matchweek nine fixtures had been rescheduled due to logistical considerations and the requirement to maintain minimum rest periods between games.

The matches between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, and Al Ittihad and Al Shabab, will now take place on December 19. Meanwhile, Al Ahli’s clash with Al Nassr has been rescheduled for March 6, 2027.

The SPL confirmed that all other matchweek nine fixtures would proceed as originally scheduled.

The decision comes after Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League match against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh was delayed by an hour on Monday. The delay followed a coalition announcement that it had intercepted a missile launched towards the Saudi capital.

The postponements come amid a recent escalation in fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, with reported missile strikes targeting airports and energy infrastructure across the kingdom.