Al-Nassr reclaim crown as SPL era defined by giants and stars | OneFootball

The Saudi Pro League was formalised in 2007, its lineage stretching back to the 1950s His Majesty's League, and the modern era has been defined by Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. Al-Nassr ended a seven-year wait to regain the 2025/26 title under Jorge Jesus, with Ange Postecoglou now overseeing their 2026/27 defence. Across the league’s full history, nine different clubs have been champions.

Since 2007, 15 of the 18 titles have gone to that trio, with Al-Hilal on eight, Al-Nassr four and Al-Ittihad three. As reported by Goal.com, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli draw over 60% of the league’s annual attendance and attract most overseas stars.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2022 arrival remains the defining transfer. Having previously rejected a move to Al-Hilal, he joined Al-Nassr and helped transform the profile of Saudi football, encouraging a wave of players from Europe’s top leagues.

With four Pro League clubs in Riyadh, many visitors take in a match during a trip to the capital. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Neymar, Jhon Duran and Darwin Nunez having played or still playing for Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, demand for tickets is high whenever those clubs are in action.

Jeddah’s Al Ittihad have consistently held their own, remaining one of the biggest clubs in the country and across Asia. Their current cast includes Karim Benzema, Moussa Diaby and Fabinho, making them a major draw.

The 2026/27 campaign will pause from 24 December 2026 to 7 February 2027 to accommodate the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which Saudi Arabia will host.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”