ABHA, Saudi Arabia — The Saudi Pro League continues to host matches despite disruptions in the soccer scene across other Middle Eastern nations due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
On Thursday, the league saw one match take place where Damac defeated Al Riyadh with a score of 3-0. However, another scheduled match featuring Al Qadsiah against Al Kholood was postponed due to the cancellation of Al Qadsiah’s flight.
Looking ahead to Friday, Al Ahli is set to face Al Ittihad in the Jeddah derby, anticipated to draw a crowd of nearly 60,000 spectators.
Saudi clubs faced challenges earlier in the week, being unable to participate in their Asian Champions League knockout matches due to security concerns in the area.
Domestically, the Saudi Ministry of Defense reported an alleged Iranian drone strike on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, the league has reassured that it is safe to continue playing, based on a letter sent to clubs this week.
The league is scheduled to take a break from March 14 to April 3, coinciding with the next international break.
Al-Hilal’s coach, Jorge Jesus, expressed that he is preparing for Friday’s match against Al-Najma without any changes to routine. “Here in Riyadh, we feel safe, stable, and secure while keeping a cautious watch on political developments and awaiting necessary directives,” stated the former Benfica manager on Tuesday. “We continue our daily operations as usual.”
Currently, Al-Nassr leads the league standings but will be missing Cristiano Ronaldo for Saturday’s match against Neom SC in Riyadh due to a hamstring injury.