The Saudi Pro League clash between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr and Asian champions Al Ahli has been postponed.
The fixture, which was due to be played on Thursday, is one of three SPL games that have been rearranged.
The league cited “logistical considerations” related to rest period for players, rather than the security situation in Riyadh.
Alerts were sounded in the Saudi capital on Wednesday, as fighting intensified between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
An SPL fixture in Abha that was due to be played on Sunday had been postponed, as a direct consequence of the situation.
It was the day after 12 people died and more that 300 were wounded in an attack on the main international airport in Riyadh. Abha is around 200 kms from the Yemen border.
Matches in Riyadh did go ahead. Each of Nassr, who were playing at home, and Ahli were in Asian Champions League action on Monday night.
While Ahli’s fixture in Dubai against Al Wasl went ahead as planned, Nassr’s game in Riyadh was delayed for an hour because of an alert.
In postponing three matches planned for this week, though, the league said the reasons were related to “the mandatory minimum rest period between matches”.
The three matches all involve sides who were involved in the Champions League. That is Al Hilal and Nassr, who are based in Riyadh, and the Jeddah teams Ahli and Al Ittihad.
“The [SPL] has rescheduled three Roshn Saudi League Matchweek 9 fixtures for logistical considerations, taking into account the mandatory minimum rest period between matches” the league wrote in a statement.
“Two fixtures; Al Riyadh against Al Hilal and Al Ittihad against Al Shabab will now be played on Saturday, December 19, 2026, while Al Ahli versus Al Nassr will be played on Saturday, March 6, 2027.
“The remaining games in Matchweek 9 will be played according to the previously announced schedule with no changes.
“In making the decision, the SPL took into consideration the mandatory minimum rest period between matches in addition to organisational and operational requirements for the matches.
“The changes are made in accordance with approved regulatory procedures for managing the competition's schedule, factoring in clubs' various logistical considerations for matches.”
The Ahli-Nassr clash, in particular, was keenly anticipated. It was to be the first meeting between the sides since their acrimonious clash at Al Awwal Park last season.
There, Nassr refused to give a guard of honour to their visitors, just days after Ahli had secured a second successive AFC Champions League title.
Tempers boiled over in the game, with Ronaldo pointing out he has won five (Uefa) Champions League titles to goading Ahli fans.
Merih Demiral, the Ahli centre back, also brought along his Champions League winner’s medal, and used it to taunt Nassr with in the melee which followed the game.
