Al Hilal and Al Nassr hand players extended breaks after Saudi Pro League postponement

Simone Inzaghi and Ange Postecoglou have both opted to give their players extended periods of rest after the Saudi Pro League postponed its next round of fixtures.

The decision follows the Asian Football Confederation’s announcement on Tuesday that the 2027 AFC Asian Cup will no longer begin in January. The tournament will instead start in December 2027.

The change created additional space in the domestic calendar, prompting the Roshn Saudi League to delay its 13th round. Those matches had been scheduled to take place from 5 to 7 November, but will now be played at a later date.

According to Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiyah, Al Hilal manager Inzaghi granted his squad 10 days off after their AFC Champions League Elite match against Shabab Al Ahli UAE.

Al Hilal defeated Shabab Al Ahli 2-0 in Riyadh on Tuesday evening, with the match played at Kingdom Arena in the fourth round of the league phase of the Asian competition.

Postecoglou, the Australian head coach of Al Nassr, has taken a similar approach. Saudi journalist Abdulaziz Al-Osaimi reported that the former Tottenham manager had given his players a nine-day break.

Al Ittihad have also given their squad time off, although their rest period is shorter. German coach Jens Wissing has allowed his players five days away from training, according to Saudi journalist Majed Hood.

The postponement of the 13th round means Saudi clubs have an extended period without competitive fixtures. Teams are not expected to return to action until after the next international break.