Saudi Pro League begins fixture review after Asian Cup 2027 is moved

The Saudi Pro League has postponed the competition’s 13th round as it prepares to redraw the remaining fixtures for the season following changes to the Asian football calendar.

The decision is intended to create a better balance between match dates and the rest and recovery periods available to players during the remainder of the campaign.

The league said the postponement formed part of a comprehensive review of the competition’s schedule in response to the latest developments affecting the sporting calendar. It added that the extra time would allow fixtures to be redistributed more suitably and help regulate the pace of competition in the coming stages of the season.

As part of the process, the Saudi Pro League plans to hold a workshop with clubs to discuss the proposed schedule. The meeting will examine the factors affecting the league calendar and give clubs the opportunity to present their views and suggestions before a final arrangement is agreed for the remaining rounds.

The league will announce new dates for the 13th round, together with an updated distribution of the rest of the fixtures, through its established announcement process. The revised schedule will be issued after the review is completed, coordination with the relevant authorities has taken place and the new calendar has been approved.

The move follows Tuesday’s announcement by the Asian Football Confederation that the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, hosted by Saudi Arabia, had been rescheduled.

The tournament had previously been scheduled to take place from 7 January to 5 February 2027. It will now be held in December of the same year.

The change gives organisers of domestic competitions additional room to rearrange the timing of their events. That prompted the Saudi Pro League to reassess its season schedule and postpone the 13th round so the domestic calendar can be aligned with the latest developments in the Asian football programme.