Al Nassr’s home Riyadh derby set for possible Asian Cup venue switch

Al Nassr could lose the benefit of playing at Al-Awwal Park when they host Al Hilal in the Riyadh derby on 11 December, with plans being considered to move the Saudi Pro League fixture to King Fahd Sports City Stadium.

The match is scheduled to take place during the 17th round of the Saudi Pro League, with Al Nassr originally due to welcome their traditional rivals at their own ground.

However, Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah has reported that the Saudi Pro League is considering relocating the fixture to King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh because of preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

The proposed change is linked to a request from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which has contacted the Saudi Pro League about using the Riyadh venue as an operational test before the continental tournament.

The stadium would be assessed across several areas, including the condition of the pitch, lighting, screens and the systems used to manage supporters entering and leaving the ground. Crowd-control procedures would also form part of the testing process.

King Fahd Sports City Stadium is scheduled to host four matches during the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, including the final. The tournament will be staged in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February next year, and will feature 24 national teams.

The Saudi Pro League is expected to contact Al Nassr to begin the arrangements required if the Riyadh derby is transferred. The club would, according to the report, retain the privileges attached to being the home side, despite the change of venue.

That means the proposed move would not alter Al Nassr’s status as the designated hosts for the fixture, even though the match would no longer be played at Al-Awwal Park.

No final decision on the venue has been confirmed in the report, but the possible relocation would give organisers an opportunity to examine King Fahd Sports City Stadium under match conditions before it stages Asian Cup fixtures.

The meeting between Al Nassr and Al Hilal is one of the most prominent fixtures on the Saudi Pro League calendar. It had been listed as an Al Nassr home game at Al-Awwal Park, but the planned tournament preparations have created the possibility of a change.

The proposed venue switch is therefore being considered not because of a change to the competition schedule, but to support preparations for Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

King Fahd Sports City Stadium’s role in the tournament will include staging four matches, with the final among them. The Riyadh derby could consequently become an important trial event for the facility’s pitch, technology, access arrangements and crowd-management operations ahead of the competition.