The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has postponed three ninth-round matches, including a fixture involving Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, amid escalating tensions following missile attacks by Houthi forces in Yemen.
In a statement posted on the SPL website, the league said the matches were rescheduled due to "logistical considerations, taking into account the mandatory minimum rest period between matches." Specifically, the match between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, along with the Al Ittihad vs. Al Shabab fixture, were moved to December 19. The Al Ahli vs. Al Nassr match featuring Ronaldo was rescheduled for March 6, 2027.
The SPL added that the remaining ninth-round matches "will proceed according to the previously announced schedule, unchanged."
Earlier, Al Nassr's AFC Champions League match against Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana at their home ground in Riyadh was delayed by an hour after the Saudi-led coalition announced it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis toward the capital.
In recent days, Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have launched a counteroffensive to retake coastal territory from the Houthis, triggering airstrikes and missile attacks on airports and energy facilities across the kingdom.
The latest round of fighting erupted after two separate attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing 14 people and injuring hundreds, forcing operations at the airport to be suspended — the most serious attack since 2015.
According to Al Jazeera correspondent Zein Basravi in Doha, the perception that the Saudi-led coalition could contain the conflict within Yemen has been shattered over the past 10 days, as multiple locations across Saudi Arabia were targeted.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense agency said one person was injured by falling debris after the kingdom intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh.
The Houthis in Yemen are threatening to continue targeting Saudi airports and oil facilities in the coming days, with attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh, in addition to the assault on King Khalid International Airport.
