Travel problems rule Szymon Marciniak out of Saudi Clasico

Szymon Marciniak will not referee Saturday’s Saudi Clasico between Al Hilal and Al-Ittihad after flight problems prevented the Polish official and his team from reaching Saudi Arabia.

Al Hilal and Al-Ittihad meet in the eighth round of the Saudi Pro League, with the match taking place on Saturday evening.

Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiya reported that Khaled Tress has been appointed to take charge of the fixture after Marciniak’s refereeing team was unable to arrive because of problems with its flight.

Tress had originally been scheduled to referee Al Nassr’s match against Al-Diriyah on Friday. However, the appointment was changed following the developments, with Mohamed Ismail taking charge of that game instead.

Marciniak’s absence comes days after Essam Abdel-Fattah, chairman of the refereeing committee, said he had contacted the Polish official about officiating Sunday’s Egyptian top-flight match between Zamalek and Al Ahly.

“I contacted the Dutchman Danny Makkelie, but I was surprised that there were objections to some of his decisions when he had previously refereed a match in Egypt,” Abdel-Fattah said in an earlier interview with ON TV.

“We contacted the Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, but he was committed to refereeing a match at the same time.”

Marciniak has previously taken charge of the Egyptian top-flight match between Zamalek and Al Ahly. He also refereed Egypt’s 1-1 draw with Iran in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

Al Hilal are third in the Saudi Pro League standings with 18 points, while Al-Ittihad are fourth on 17 points. They are two points behind leaders Al-Qadsiah and second-placed Al Nassr.

The Football Association had previously announced that a Slovenian refereeing team, led by Rade Obrenovic, would officiate Sunday’s match between Zamalek and Al Ahly.