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RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League has announced the fixture list for the 2025-26 Roshn Saudi League, with the new campaign kicking off on Thursday, Aug. 28

Matchday 1 sees reigning champions Al-Ittihad begin their title defense away to Al-Okhdood, while Cristiano Ronaldo — fresh from signing his new contract — and Al-Nassr also hit the road to take on Al-Taawoun, one of last season’s surprise packages.

Following their superb run to the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals, Al-Hilal start their campaign with a city derby clash against Al-Riyadh.

Arguably the match of the round takes place in Jeddah, where AFC Champions League winners Al-Ahli host promoted NEOM, who dominated the Saudi First Division last season.

NEOM have since bolstered their squad by signing former Arsenal captain Alexandre Lacazette, goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, and highly-rated midfield youngster Amadou Kone, as manager Christophe Galtier aims to establish the Tabuk-based club in the top tier.

Al-Hilal immediately follow their opening match with a home clash against Al-Qadsiah, last season’s fourth-place finishers and King Cup finalists, before travelling to Jeddah to take on Al-Ahli on Matchday 3.

Three rounds later, Al-Hilal are back in Jeddah for the first Clasico against rivals Al-Ittihad, meaning the Riyadh giants face several early-season tests that could be pivotal to the rest of their campaign.

Following their opening trip to Al-Taawoun, Al-Nassr’s early schedule also includes a massive visit to Jeddah to play Al-Ittihad on Matchday 4, followed by a home clash with NEOM on Matchday 8.

A challenging winter stretch between Matchdays 13 and 16 has Jorge Jesus’ side face Al-Ahli (A), Al-Qadsiah (H), Al-Hilal (A) in the Capital Derby, and Al-Shabab (H).

Al-Ittihad’s start away to Al-Okhdood is followed by home matches against Al-Fateh and Al-Nassr, either side of a trip to promoted Al-Najma, before the blockbuster showdown with Al-Hilal in Jeddah on Matchday 6.

Their final game of the season will be a rematch of last season’s King Cup final in Jeddah against Al-Qadsiah, whom they defeated to clinch the domestic double.

After welcoming NEOM on the opening day, Al-Ahli clash with Al-Hilal (H) on Matchday 3 and take on Al-Ittihad (A) in the Sea Derby on Matchday 8. The reverse derby match is scheduled for Matchday 25.

Beyond the usual title contenders, there will be many storylines to follow throughout the season as the drama unfolds. Among these could be Al-Taawoun following an excellent 2024-25 season when they reached the semifinals of the AFC Champions League 2 and placed eighth in the RSL.

Pericles Chamusca, who was Al-Taawoun manager between 2022 and 2024, is back in the dugout having steered NEOM to promotion.

And with a kind-looking early fixture list — Al-Nassr are the only opponents in their first five games to finish in last season’s top six — Al-Taawoun have an opportunity to build some early momentum before the first international break.

Al-Shabab start their season with four of their first six matches at home in Riyadh, which could provide a springboard for Abderrazak Hamdallah to make some monumental history.

The Moroccan striker is just five goals shy of equaling the RSL’s all-time scoring record — currently held by Omar Al-Somah with 155 goals — and a fast start to the campaign could see the prolific forward become the league’s greatest goalscorer.

The RSL enters the new campaign aiming to build on the league’s remarkable progress in recent years. The 2024-25 season saw a record 183 broadcast partners worldwide while more than 2.5 million fans attended matches throughout the Kingdom.

Global interest in Saudi football has also soared, with a 200 percent increase in international sponsorship revenue.

With heavyweight clashes, fierce derbies, and new challengers all lined up, the 2025-26 season is set to deliver another memorable chapter in the RSL’s rise.

Derby days to mark on the calendar:

Al-Hilal vs Al-Nassr (Capital Derby): Matchday 15 (Al-Hilal home) and Matchday 32 (Al-Nassr home)

Al-Ittihad vs Al-Ahli (Sea Derby): Matchday 8 (Al-Ittihad home) and Matchday 25 (Al-Ahli home)

Al-Qadsiah vs Al-Ettifaq (Eastern Province derby): Matchday 9 (Al-Qadsiah home) and Matchday 26 (Al-Ettifaq home)

Al-Hilal vs Al-Ittihad (Saudi Clasico): Matchday 6 (Al-Ittihad home) and Matchday 23 (Al-Hilal home)

CINCINNATI: Carlos Alcaraz beat the heat and humidity of a Midwest summer as the world No. 2 advanced to the fourth round of the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Open on Tuesday.

The Spanish second seed kept his exposure to a minimum in 32 Celsius conditions, taking an efficient 95 minutes to dispatch Serb Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4, for his 50th match win of the year.

“Medjedovic doesn’t like to run that much, so I tried to move him around as much as possible,” Alcaraz said. “But it was difficult with the ball flying so much and his shots coming so fast. I tried to defend in a good way.”

Alcaraz has been on a tear in 2025 as he chases Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings, and now owns 13 straight victories at the Masters 1000 level.

He will play for the quarterfinals against Luca Nardi after the Italian defeated Jakob Mensik 6-2, 2-1 with the Czech retiring after 42 minutes.

Five-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz, who is preparing for the approaching US Open start, added: “I was really happy to get the win in a very difficult match.

“The season is very long and in at least half of your matches you don’t feel that good (physically).

“But you have to stay positive and play your best tennis on the day. I’m proud about that. It’s a goal of the season.”

Francisco Comesano and Reilly Opelka both felt the heat of their mid-day match, which was interrupted for 45 minutes by rain, as the Argentine limped to a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-5 win while saving three match points.

Comesano needed a medical time out midway through the second set, but came back out to continue what turned into a fight of nearly three hours against the American.

Opelka called for the doctor just moments from his eventual loss, complaining of dizziness and high blood pressure after being broken for 5-6 in the final set.

After a quick consultation at his chair, Opelka was back on court to weakly scoop a return into the net on his opponent’s second match point.

The 71st-ranked South American will face ninth seed Andrey Rublev, who beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.

Opelka, noted for his big serve, fired 27 aces but also committed nearly 60 unforced errors. Comesano broke on four of his 13 chances.

He is the first Argentine into the Cincy round of 16 since Diego Schwartzman in 2022.

In the WTA draw, second seed Coco Gauff eased into the fourth round when opponent Dayana Yastremska withdrew before their Tuesday match.

The American, who won the 2023 Cincinnati title and followed up with a US Open crown, will await an opponent from former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko and Italian Lucia Bronzetti.

Yastremska was unable to play due to illness, the WTA said.

Seventh seed Jasmine Paolini, last season’s Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist, defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 7-6, (7/2), 6-1 while German qualifier Ella Seidel continued her strong showing with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8/6) defeat of McCartney Kessler.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova outlasted American Iva Jovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.