September showdown in doubt as Donis seeks longer Saudi Arabia camp

Georgios Donis is preparing to ask for an additional seven days of preparation with Saudi Arabia before the 27th Gulf Cup, a request that could force changes to the domestic calendar and place the Roshn Saudi League meeting between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad at risk of postponement.

The 27th Gulf Cup is scheduled to begin in Jeddah on 23 September next year. The eighth round of the Roshn Saudi League is due to take place on 17 September, with the fixture between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad one of the headline matches.

According to sources reported by Al-Riyadiyah, Donis intends to submit a formal request in the coming period to bring forward the start of Saudi Arabia’s training camp and secure a further week of preparation.

If the request is accepted, discussions would then take place with the competitions department of the Saudi Pro League to examine whether the eighth round of the Roshn Saudi League could be moved to a later date.

Any decision to postpone the round would create further scheduling issues. The relevant authorities would also need to coordinate with the competitions department of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation over the last-16 matches in the King’s Cup, which are scheduled for 19 and 20 October.

However, implementing the proposal is not expected to be straightforward because the Saudi football calendar is already crowded with domestic, continental and international commitments.

A senior official source told Al-Riyadiyah that approval for a seven-day extension to the national team’s camp appeared difficult because of the number of matches already scheduled and the limited gaps available for making changes to the calendar.

The source added that moving the eighth round and rearranging all of its fixtures would represent a major challenge. Clubs are committed to a range of competitions throughout the season, while there are only a small number of dates available to stage postponed matches.

The possible consequences would extend beyond the Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad classic. Al-Ahli are also due to face Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on 19 September, provided they overcome Auckland City of New Zealand in the 2026 Intercontinental Cup.

That match would add another significant fixture to a period in which the league schedule may already be under pressure. Any decision on Donis’ request would therefore need to take account not only of the national team’s preparation for the Gulf Cup, but also the commitments of clubs involved in domestic and international competitions.

For now, the eighth round remains scheduled for 17 September, including the meeting between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad. The proposed extension to Saudi Arabia’s camp could lead to a revised timetable, but the limited room in the season calendar means that approval is far from certain.