Saudi Pro League Postpones Three Matches Amid Houthi Missile Threats
The Saudi Pro League has postponed three matchweek nine fixtures amid escalating Houthi missile threats from Yemen. Al Hilal versus Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad versus Al Shabab will now take place on Dec 19, while Al Ahli’s clash with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr has been rescheduled for Mar 6, 2027.
Other fixtures remain unchanged as security concerns intensify across Saudi Arabia.
In the wake of escalating security concerns following Houthi missile attacks from Yemen, the Saudi Pro League has postponed three matchweek nine fixtures, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr match against Al Ahli. According to the league’s statement published on Tuesday, the changes were made for logistical reasons and to maintain the mandatory minimum rest period between matches.
The fixtures between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, and Al Ittihad and Al Shabab, have been rescheduled for December 19, 2026. Meanwhile, Al Ahli’s encounter with Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will now take place on March 6, 2027. The league confirmed that all other matchweek nine games will proceed according to the original schedule. Security concerns intensified after Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League match against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh was delayed by an hour on Monday following reports that a missile heading towards the Saudi capital had been intercepted.
The wider conflict has also affected critical infrastructure, including airports and energy facilities. Reports stated that two strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport left 14 people dead and hundreds injured, disrupting operations. Saudi Arabia’s civil defence agency also reported that one person was injured by falling debris after another ballistic missile was intercepted on Wednesday. With the Houthis threatening further attacks on airports and oil facilities, security concerns continue to affect sporting events across the kingdom.