Ronaldo’s Al Nassr match delayed after missile threat near Riyadh

RIYADH, 13 OCTOBER 2026 —

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al‑Nassr were forced to postpone their Asian Champions League match against Neftchi Fergana by an hour on Monday night after the Saudi‑led coalition announced it had intercepted a missile fired by the Houthis toward Riyadh. The game, scheduled to kick off at 9:15 p.m.

The delay came amid a heightened security environment in the capital, where the Houthis have recently launched a series of attacks on Saudi infrastructure, including oil facilities, tankers and transport hubs. The most recent incidents included lethal strikes on Riyadh’s international airport, which had already suffered casualties in attacks on Sunday and the day before.

In the days leading up to the match, the coalition had been actively intercepting hostile aerial threats, and on the day of the game it announced the “interception and destruction” of a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis, issuing the statement on X.

At Al‑Awwal Park, the stands were sparsely populated. The stadium announcer reassured spectators that the situation was safe, that the match would be played, and urged fans to remain in their seats. However, the television channel broadcasting the fixture announced a one‑hour delay. Shortly before the match was set to begin, AFP correspondents reported hearing explosions in Riyadh.

Simultaneously, residents of the city received a mobile alert stating: “The region is exposed to a hostile aerial threat. Please remain calm and stay at home or in a safe place, away from windows and doors, and continue to follow civil defence instructions.”

Despite the alerts, no evacuation orders were issued. The stadium’s loudspeakers communicated that the game would proceed later that evening, and players from both teams, along with match officials, were held back from entering the field while the situation was assessed. After the delay, the teams emerged onto the pitch and the match commenced.

In the first half, Angelo Gabriel opened the scoring for Al‑Nassr inside 33 minutes. Ronaldo doubled the lead in the 42nd minute, bringing his career tally to 981 goals. Neftchi pulled one back six minutes into the second half, but an own goal 12 minutes from the end secured Al‑Nassr’s first win of the 2026‑27 AFC Champions League Elite campaign. The match ended 3‑1 in favour of the Saudi club.

The 41‑year‑old Portuguese striker, who was provisionally suspended by Portugal after walking out on the national team during the international break, continued his pursuit of 1,000 career goals. His performance came as Al‑Nassr, managed by Ange Postecoglou, were third in the Saudi Pro League after eight rounds, two points behind rivals Al‑Hilal and behind defending champions Al‑Ain, who had beaten them 4‑0 in the previous month.

The incident underscored the ongoing security challenges facing Riyadh, where the capital’s main airport had been targeted in successive attacks. On Sunday, one person was killed and 11 others wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport, and a day earlier, at least 12 people were killed and hundreds injured in another strike on the same airport, according to reports. Saudi authorities have attributed the attacks to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The match’s postponement and the surrounding alerts highlighted the delicate balance between sporting events and national security in a region experiencing escalating tensions. While the game proceeded after a brief disruption, the situation served as a stark reminder of the broader context in which the sport is played, with fans and players alike navigating the realities of a city still coping with deadly attacks.

Related: Al‑Nassr · Al‑Awwal Park · Cristiano Ronaldo · Riyadh