Saudi League is rigged for Ronaldo: Fans call out horrible refereeing

Saudi Pro League was at the centre of the controversy after Al Ahli hit out against the poor standards of the league. Fans, experts and even footballers joined in the criticism, with some accusing the league of favouring Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr.

In Short

• Saudi Pro League courted controversy on Wednesday, April 8
• Al-Ahli football club hit out against the referees
• Fans complained that the league was rigged towards Al-Nassr

Footballers, fans and experts have hit out against the poor refereeing standards in the Saudi Pro League on Wednesday, April 8, after Al-Ahli's 1-1 draw against Al-Fayha. The club took to X to share their frustration and found massive support from fans.

Al Ahli expressed deep dissatisfaction with the refereeing errors that affected their chances of pushing for the title. In a long message, the club criticised key decisions from the referee, which led to them sharing points in the game.

"The referee's decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team's position in the title race," the club wrote in a statement.

"Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Pro League. The team has faced unfair refereeing decisions, an unacceptable situation that neither serves the development of the competition nor upholds the principle of competitive fairness, which must be the foundation of any successful tournament," the statement added.

The club proceeded to share video footage of the errors made by the referee, where they pointed specifically to potential handball calls that were not given.

Al Ahli Club Company called for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team's players during the match. It also requested clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made.

Replying to the tweets made by the club, multiple fans called out the league, alleging that the competition was rigged to help Cristiano Ronaldo win a title for Al-Nassr.

"If you don’t understand what’s happening in Saudi League, players are accusing the league of rigging it so bad, so that Ronaldo could win the league. If you watched Al Nassr’s last game and you see the penalty given, you’ll further understand. There’s also been many wrong decisions against the contenders. Ivan Toney for one has posted more than once and openly accused the league of these things," one of the fans wrote on X.

With the title race entering a decisive phase, scrutiny around officiating standards is only expected to intensify. For a league that has invested heavily in attracting global talent and building its reputation, such controversies threaten to overshadow the on-field product, raising uncomfortable questions about consistency, transparency and the credibility of competition at the highest level.

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