Air Raid Alert Issued in Riyadh... Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr ACLE Match Delayed by One Hour

As attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia continue, the home match of Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, featuring football star Cristiano Ronaldo, was delayed by one hour.

Al-Nassr won 3-1 against FC Neftchi Fergana of Uzbekistan in their 2026–2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) league stage match held on the 12th (local time) at Al-Awwal Park in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

The match was originally scheduled to kick off at 9:15 PM.

However, according to AFP, the match was postponed by an hour following an announcement by the Saudi-led coalition stating that a ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels toward Riyadh had been successfully intercepted and destroyed.

The stadium announcer informed the crowd that the situation was safe and that the match would proceed as planned, while urging spectators to remain in their seats.

Earlier, residents in Riyadh received emergency alert messages on their mobile phones stating, "A potential hostile threat has occurred in the area. Please remain calm and stay at home or in a safe place. Stay away from windows and doors, and continue to follow the instructions of civil defense authorities."

Saudi Arabia has recently been targeted by a series of attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi movement.

The targets have included oil facilities, oil tankers, and transportation hubs, and on the 10th and 11th, Riyadh International Airport was hit by missile attacks, resulting in multiple casualties.

Consequently, concerns are rising over whether the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in three Saudi cities including Riyadh in January of next year, can be hosted normally.

The Korea Football Association (KFA), which was preparing for away friendly matches in Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia during the November international match window to prepare the national team for the Asian Cup, is also closely monitoring the situation.

Meanwhile, Al-Nassr defeated Neftchi to secure their first win of the tournament following an opening defeat.

Ronaldo found the back of the net in the 42nd minute of the first half while Al-Nassr was leading 1-0, scoring the decisive goal in the 3-1 victory.

Sadio Mané drove into the left side of the penalty area and sent in a cross, which Ayman Yahya brought down with his chest, allowing Ronaldo to finish with a right-footed turning shot from the right side of the box.

This marked the 981st official career goal for Ronaldo, combining his matches for club and country since his professional debut.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.