Saudi Pro League reschedules three rounds to extend Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup 27 preparations

The Saudi Pro League has announced changes to the schedule for rounds eight, nine and 10, following a request to extend Saudi Arabia’s preparations for Gulf Cup 27.

The revised dates were agreed in coordination with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, with the league also taking into account the rest periods required between matches and the need to ensure the national team’s players are fully prepared.

Round eight will now be played from 9 to 11 October, having originally been scheduled for 17 to 19 September. Round nine has been moved to 15-17 October instead of 9-11 October, while round 10 will take place from 18 to 20 October rather than 15-17 October.

The changes also affect the beginning of the following round. Round 11 is now due to start on 23 October, one day later than its previous scheduled date of 22 October, allowing for appropriate rest periods between fixtures.

The decision follows a report in Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah several days ago that Saudi Arabia manager Georgios Donis was preparing to request an additional seven days for the national team’s training camp before the Gulf Cup.

The rescheduled eighth round includes the league’s latest El Clasico, with Al Hilal facing Al-Ittihad at Kingdom Arena. The most prominent fixture in round nine is the meeting between Al-Ahli and Al Nassr at Alinma Stadium.

Al Nassr’s match against NEOM is regarded as the leading fixture in round 10.

The Saudi Pro League said it would continue working closely with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to align the league calendar with the national team’s requirements. Its objective is to balance the demands of the domestic competition with the importance of supporting Saudi Arabia’s representatives on the international stage.

The league also said the coordination was intended to provide the national team with suitable conditions to represent Saudi Arabia in the best possible manner at international tournaments.

The changes mean three consecutive rounds will be played across a shorter period in October, while the original September dates for round eight have been replaced. The adjustment reflects the request for a longer preparation period ahead of Gulf Cup 27 and the importance of managing player recovery between matches.

With the new timetable, the league has confirmed the revised dates for the three affected rounds, as well as the one-day change to the start of round 11. The Saudi Pro League said those measures were made to support both the competition and the national team’s preparation, without compromising the required intervals between fixtures.