Saudi Pro League Guide

Saudi Pro League

The Roshn Saudi Pro League is Saudi Arabia’s top division: 18 clubs, home and away, 34 games. Al-Hilal remain the record champions with 21 titles; Al-Ittihad have 14 and Al-Nassr 11.

Since 2023 the league has used huge spending to pull in global names, and it is now shifting toward younger prime-age signings as some of the first wave of veterans leave. Al-Nassr won the 2025-26 title - Cristiano Ronaldo’s first Saudi championship - two points ahead of Al-Hilal. The 2026-27 season is already underway.

Some big names to have appeared in the league apart from CR7 include Karim Benzema. Neymar, although his time at Al Hilal was affected by injury, Riyad Mahrez, World Cup winner N'Golo Kanté, former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star Sadio Mané, João Félix, named Saudi Pro League Player of the Season for 2025-26 after an outstanding campaign, Ivan Toney, Rúben Neves, Julián Quiñones, astriker who won the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League Golden Boot. Other names include Roberto Firmino, Marcelo Brozović, Aleksandar Mitrović, Kalidou Koulibaly and Aymeric Laporte.

Clubs

Al-Nassr (defending champions)

Riyadh's Yellows finally ended a seven-year title wait in 2025-26, with Ronaldo scoring 28 league goals. Under Ange Postecoglou they still build around Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, João Félix and Kingsley Coman, with Samu Costa added in midfield. home is the 25,000 capacity Al-Awwal Park which opened in 2015. The club were founded in 1955.

Al-Hilal

The Kingdom's most successful club, unbeaten in the league for long stretches last season and runners-up by two points. Salem Al-Dawsari remains the Saudi star; summer arrivals include Crysencio Summerville and Ollie Watkins, with Simone Inzaghi still in charge. They play at the 26,000 capacity Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. "Al-Hilal" is Arabic for "the crescent moon". The club was founded in 1957.

Al-Ahli

Jeddah's Greens finished third and have won the AFC Champions League Elite in consecutive seasons. Ivan Toney scored 32 league goals in 2025-26; Riyad Mahrez has left, with Francisco Trincão and Eduard Spertsyan brought in to refresh the attack. Founded in 1937 the club play at the 62,000 capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and also the 27,000 capacity Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium.

Al-Qadsiah

The most improved "new rich" club, finishing fourth last season. Golden Boot winner Julián Quiñones (33 goals) leads the line, and they made one of the summer's biggest signings in Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. Based in Khobar, Eastern Province, the club date from 1967 and play at the 26,000 capacity Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Stadium with plans afoot to move to a new ground, the Aramco Stadium. This 47,000 capacity arena is scheduled to host matches for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Al-Ittihad

The Tigers of Jeddah have 14 titles, including 2024-25, but slipped to fifth last season. They remain a historic giant founded back in 1927; Karim Benzema was still among the league's leading scorers in 2025-26, while several of the first-wave veterans have moved on. Al-Ittihad play at the 62,000 capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium along with Al-Ahli.

The rest of the 18

Al-Taawoun (Buraidah) are a regular AFC qualifier. Al-Ettifaq (Dammam) and Neom SC sit in the upper mid-table; Neom are the new club tied to the mega-city project. Al-Shabab are six-time champions but finished 13th last season. Al-Fateh, Al-Fayha, Al-Khaleej, Al-Kholood, Al-Hazem and Al-Riyadh make up the established mid-to-lower half.

Promoted for 2026-27 are Al-Diriyah, Abha and Al-Faisaly, replacing Damac, Al-Najma and Al-Okhdood. The league's draw is no longer only ageing superstars. Ronaldo, Mané, Félix, Toney and Quiñones still sell the product, but deals for Reijnders, Summerville, Trincão and Watkins show clubs now paying for players in their mid-20s as well.