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LONDON: It’s that time of year again — the start of the new Saudi Pro League season. As 18 teams prepare amid fears, hopes and dreams, Arab News looks at six questions waiting to be answered in the 2025-26 campaign.

What will the Jorge Jesus effect be?

In a stunning move, just weeks after Jorge Jesus left Al-Hilal following a disappointing season — though this is always relative with the Blues — he turned up at Al-Nassr.

The Riyadh Derby is always a passionate affair but this adds extra spice.

The Portuguese veteran knows how to win the league and Al-Nassr needed someone who could bring its talents together.

Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman are players at their peak, or just about, and Inigo Martinez joins the middle of the defense from Barcelona. With such an experienced coach at the helm, this could be Al-Nassr’s year. The signs — the Super Cup performance, especially beating Al-Ittihad with ten men — suggest the Yellows have a new resilience.

Can Al-Ittihad go again?

Al-Ittihad were deserved champions but they know that winning the title is one thing, and defending it is another. The last five times the Tigers did this, they failed to stay at the top of the pile.

The Jeddah giants are still being linked with top stars and reports of their interest in Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes have refused to go away. 

If coach Laurent Blanc can keep his team together then they could go again — though, unlike last season, the extra demands in Asia may take their toll, especially on some of the older stars. Karim Benzema’s fitness could be key though Moussa Diaby was one of the league’s best players last season.

Can Al-Ahli step up after Asian Champions League success?

Finishing fifth may have been a disappointment but there was the small matter of becoming champions of Asia in May.

Now the challenge is the domestic front. On the face of it, Al-Ahli has what it takes here, too. Ivan Toney took a little time to settle before he started banging in the goals. Riyad Mahrez looks good. The addition of 25-year-old French midfielder Enzo Millot may not have made massive international headlines, but he could be just the sort of player the team needs. 

Can Al-Hilal bounce back?

The Blues usually do. They lost their way a little last season, though it should be remembered that they finished second and reached the last four of the Champions League.

This is a club that has winning and trophies in its DNA. New coach Simone Inzaghi has already impressed at the FIFA Club World Cup with that win over Manchester City, and the arrival of Darwin Nunez is interesting. The forward comes from Liverpool with something to prove and that could spell danger for SPL defenses, especially if Salem Al-Dawsari stays fit.

Can any other teams disrupt the big boys?

Al-Qadsiah impressed when they finished fourth in their first season after promotion, and the club was unlucky to miss out on Asia. The loss of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his 17 goals to Marseille may hurt but fans have the big-money signing of Mateo Retegui — Serie A’s top scorer last season — as a major consolation.

Then there is Neom SC, newly promoted and ambitious, with a solid-looking squad and former PSG coach Christophe Galtier in place. And then there is Al-Kholood, who finished ninth last time and, now owned by a US investment company, looking to climb the table.

Can Ronaldo make it three in a row?

The 40-year-old’s goal in the Saudi Super Cup broke records — it took him to a century for four separate clubs, something never achieved before.

Since his arrival in Riyadh he has not been able to stop scoring; even though he arrived in the middle of 2022-23, he finished the season as the league’s fifth-highest scorer.

No surprise, then, that he topped the standings in his first full season and repeated his feat the next year. To do so for a third campaign in a row would truly be something special. It would also take him that step closer to the 1,000-goal mark. 

WASHINGTON: Augusta National announced changes to qualifying methods for the Masters on Tuesday, adding the winners of six worldwide national opens while dropping US PGA Tour fall tournament winners.

The immediate change follows the style of the Royal & Ancient (R&A) British Open qualifying series, which began in 2013, and gives the Masters its own qualifying series to ensure strong global pathways into the Masters from various tours.

Masters invitations will be issued to winners of the Scottish Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open, Hong Kong Open, Australian Open and South African Open.

“The Masters Tournament has long recognized the significance of having international representation among its invitees,” Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said.

“We, along with The R&A, have a shared commitment to the global game and are proud to work together. Today’s announcement strengthens our organizations’ collective vision of rewarding top talent around the world who rise to the top of historic national open championships.

“We hope this formal recognition shines a bright light on these players and the events they will represent at the Masters and The Open, beginning next year.”

The PGA Tour’s eight events played after the Tour Championship serve as a final opportunity for players to claim playing rights for the next year, but a tweak in qualifying language will mean winners of those events no longer claim berths in the Masters.

Starting later this year, players can begin to qualify for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale at 15 events in 13 nations. Final details about the series will be unveiled next month.

“We share the same goal as Augusta National to offer places in both The Open and the Masters to players competing in national opens and by doing so to help to showcase and strengthen our sport in those regions,” R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said.

“This creates an outstanding opportunity for players in all parts of the world to qualify and we firmly believe this will continue to enrich the quality of the fields in both major championships.”

Next year’s 90th Masters will be contested April 9-12 at Augusta National.