Saudi Pro League Postpones Three Fixtures Amid Houthi Attacks

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has postponed three matches, including a fixture featuring Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, following a sharp escalation in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels.

According to a statement published on the SPL's website on Tuesday, the Matchweek 9 fixtures have been rescheduled for logistical reasons, with organisers citing the need to maintain the mandatory minimum rest period between matches.

The clash between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, along with the match between Al Ittihad and Al Shabab, has been moved to December 19. Meanwhile, Al Ahli's encounter with Ronaldo's Al Nassr has been rescheduled for March 6, 2027.

The league clarified that all other Matchweek 9 fixtures would proceed according to the previously announced schedule without any changes.

On Monday, Al Nassr's AFC Champions League match against Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh was delayed by an hour after a Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis towards the Saudi capital.

The latest escalation has intensified hostilities between the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen's Houthi rebels, with missile attacks targeting airports and energy infrastructure across Saudi Arabia.

The current wave of fighting was triggered by Houthi strikes on Riyadh's international airport over the weekend, which reportedly killed 13 people and forced operations to be suspended. The attack marked the most serious assault of its kind since 2015.