Saudi Arabia to continue sports events despite Houthi attacks — The National

In Saudi Arabia, some sporting events have already been held, while a tennis tournament, a boxing bout, a WWE show and a horse racing season are still being prepared despite intensified Houthi attacks on the kingdom. According to The National, attacks on airports in Riyadh, Absi, Jizan and Najran over the past week resulted in deaths and significant destruction.

Football matches

The Saudi Pro League continued its matches on Sunday, although King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh came under deadly attacks over the weekend. Al-Shabab defeated Al-Taawoun 3-0, while the match between Al-Fayha and Al-Riyadh ended in a draw. The meeting between Abha and Al-Faisaly was postponed until the end of the month.

On Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr hosted Uzbekistan’s Neftchi in an elite AFC Champions League match in Riyadh. The kickoff was delayed due to a warning from Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense, and pre-match training at Al-Awwal Park Stadium was cancelled. Al-Nassr ultimately won 3-1. In Jeddah, Al-Ittihad is due to play Shabab Al-Ahli on Tuesday.

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Planned events

The third Six Kings Slam tennis tournament is scheduled in Riyadh for October 21-24. Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz are set to compete at ANB Arena. Defending champion Jannik Sinner was replaced in the lineup by Learner Tien.

On October 31, Riyadh is scheduled to host Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s fight against Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title. Organizer Turki Alalshikh said that Alvarez had confirmed his participation in the bout. The WWE Crown Jewel show is due to take place on November 7 at Riyadh Season Stadium.

The 2026/27 Riyadh racing season is also set to begin this Friday and run until April 17 next year. The program includes 69 races, with total prize money of 197.8 million Saudi riyals.