Al Ahli and Al Nassr at odds over postponed Roshn Saudi League clash

Al Ahli and Al Nassr have yet to agree on a new date for their postponed Roshn Saudi League fixture, with the two clubs putting forward different proposals for the match after the current international break.

Al Ahli are understood to have no objection to playing on 20 November, when all of their players are expected to have returned from international duty. The club believes that date would allow them to field a full-strength side.

Al Nassr, however, do not favour the proposed 20 November date because of the schedules and return dates of their foreign players. Their preference is for the match to be played at the beginning of December, giving their squad more time to regroup and prepare.

That suggestion has been rejected by Al Ahli. The club does not want the fixture moved into December because of the congested schedule during that period, which it believes could increase pressure on the team as it balances domestic and continental commitments.

The Roshn Saudi League has now been left to decide the final date, with both clubs maintaining their positions and no agreement reached over a fixture considered important to the teams’ respective league campaigns.

The dispute comes as league football is paused in November because Saudi Arabia are due to play two friendly matches. The games are being held at the request of manager Georgios Donis as part of the national team’s preparation programme for future commitments.

The league’s organisers had already postponed the 13th round of Roshn Saudi League matches because of Saudi Arabia’s training camp during the current international break. That decision required the schedule to be rearranged and led to the disagreement over when Al Ahli and Al Nassr should meet.

The fixture was expected to resume competition after the international window, but the contrasting positions of the two clubs mean the league authorities must now settle the issue. Al Ahli’s priority is to avoid adding another match to an already crowded December programme, while Al Nassr are seeking additional time for their overseas players to return and prepare.

Until the league confirms a date, the postponed contest remains unresolved. Neither club has accepted the other’s proposal, leaving the final decision with the Roshn Saudi League.