Cristiano Ronaldo Forced to Sit Out Club Matches as Well: Surprise Decision in the Saudi Pro League

After ending his stint with the Portuguese national team, Cristiano Ronaldo will have to wait a little longer before returning to the field—even with Al-Nassr. The Saudi Pro League has, in fact, postponed the entire 13th matchday of the league, originally scheduled for November 5–7. This decision affects all teams and forces the Portuguese star into an unexpected hiatus: Ange Postecoglou’s team was scheduled to face Al-Hazem on the road.

The decision was made official by the League on November 3 and is part of a broader revision of the 2026–27 season schedule. The measure stems from the rescheduling of the 2027 Asian Cup, originally set for January 7 through February 5 and now scheduled for December 23, 2027, through January 21, 2028. The change has created new flexibility in managing the Saudi league’s schedule, prompting the SPL to revise the distribution of matches for the remainder of the season. The stated goal is to create a more balanced schedule that also ensures players have adequate recovery time between matches.

For Ronaldo, the news comes just hours after an announcement destined to mark a milestone in his career. Yesterday, Thursday, November 5, the 41-year-old announced his retirement from the Portuguese national team, bringing an end to a career that spanned over 23 years. The numbers speak to the magnitude of his time with the Portuguese national team: 234 appearances and 146 goals—all-time records at the international level. However, this decision does not mean he is saying goodbye to playing soccer: CR7 will continue his career with Al-Nassr, with the goal of reaching the historic milestone of 1,000 career goals.

It remains to be seen when the Portuguese star will be able to return to the field in league play. At the moment, in fact, a new date for Matchday 13 has not yet been set. The Saudi Pro League has announced that it will discuss possible changes with the clubs at a special meeting and will release the updated schedule only after the review is complete.