Al Nassr’s title defence begins without Cristiano Ronaldo after extended break

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss Al Nassr’s opening two fixtures of the 2026-27 season, according to reports in Saudi Arabia, after taking time away from the club following his wedding to Georgina Rodriguez.

The Portuguese forward will be absent when Al Nassr begin their Roshn Saudi League campaign against Al Fateh next Saturday. He is also expected to miss the club’s meeting with Al Diriyah three days later in the last 32 of the King’s Cup.

The report by Saudi newspaper Al Yaum says Ronaldo’s absence from both matches is linked to his wedding ceremony with Rodriguez, which is taking place on Saturday.

Ronaldo has not played for Al Nassr since Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign ended on 6 July. Portugal were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the last 16 of the tournament, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 21-day period allowed for players to rest after their involvement in the World Cup was expected to give Ronaldo sufficient time before returning to club training. However, he did not rejoin Al Nassr during that period and was also missing from the club’s overseas training camp, which concluded last Wednesday.

His absence continued after the squad returned to Riyadh. As a result, Ronaldo has missed every Al Nassr training session held in the three cities used during the club’s 32-day preparations: Riyadh, Abha and Lisbon.

That extended break means Al Nassr will start their new campaign without one of the most important players in their squad. The club’s first competitive assignment is against Al Fateh in the opening round of the Roshn Saudi League, before the cup tie against Al Diriyah follows three days later.

Al Nassr are aiming to retain the Saudi league title after winning it last season, ending a seven-year wait for the trophy. The club also have ambitions of lifting the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time in their history.

Ronaldo’s expected return date has not been stated in the report, but his absence from the first two fixtures provides an early setback for a team seeking success on both domestic and continental fronts.

The opening matches will therefore take place without the Portugal captain, who has been a central figure in Al Nassr’s pursuit of major honours since joining the Saudi club. For now, the side will begin their league and King’s Cup campaigns while Ronaldo completes his extended period away from team training and matches.