Match: Al-Ahli vs Al-Nassr (Saudi Pro League 2025/26)

Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah

Kickoff (USA): 12:30pm ET / 9:30am PT (Friday, January 2, 2026)

Kickoff (UK): 5:30pm GMT

How to watch Al-Ahli vs Al-Nassr in the USA

In the United States, the match is available through major TV and streaming options that carry Saudi Pro League coverage, including services listed for this fixture such as Fubo and FOX-branded broadcasts (availability varies by package and region).

For a dependable US match hub (time, competition, fixture page), use: FOX Sports match page .

Quick tip: If you’re streaming, open your app early and confirm the exact feed (English/Spanish) before kickoff to avoid last-minute blackout or channel-mapping issues.

Match overview: why this one feels like a title pivot

Al-Nassr arrive unbeaten and still in control of the Saudi Pro League summit, but the cushion at the top has tightened after their first points drop of the season in a 2–2 draw with Al Ettifaq. That result ended a long winning streak and reminded everyone that even the most loaded squads can be forced into uncomfortable game states.

Al-Ahli, meanwhile, sit in the top four and look built for exactly this kind of night: a big crowd, a big opponent, and a striker (Ivan Toney) who thrives when the margin for error is thin. If Al-Ahli can turn this into a physical, second-ball contest, they give themselves a real path to a statement result.

AFCON has also shaped the matchup. Al-Ahli are missing key names (including Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie, and Riyad Mahrez), while Al-Nassr are without Sadio Mane. In matches like this, absences matter less as “who’s missing” and more as “which patterns disappear” — Al-Ahli lose some control and experience, Al-Nassr lose direct wide threat and transition punch.

Tactical watch: where the game may be decided

1) Toney vs Demiral’s line: If Al-Ahli go direct early, the plan is simple: hit Toney’s chest, win the second ball, and attack the box before Al-Nassr can reset. Demiral’s positioning and timing will matter, but so will the work behind him — if Al-Nassr’s midfield doesn’t squeeze the space, Al-Ahli can build pressure fast.

2) Brozovic as the metronome: When Al-Nassr are at their best, Marcelo Brozovic controls tempo, finds the first clean pass, and turns chaotic moments into structured attacks. If Al-Ahli can disrupt him with aggressive midfield pressure, Al-Nassr may be forced wide early and cross from less dangerous zones.

3) Felix between the lines: Joao Felix is most dangerous when he receives on the half-turn behind the first press. Al-Ahli’s midfield shape will need discipline — step out too late and Felix can slip runners in; step out too early and Ronaldo gets the space to attack the channel.

4) Wide breaks: Galeno gives Al-Ahli speed to hurt Al-Nassr on the break, especially if Al-Nassr commit numbers forward. Expect Al-Ahli to test the space behind the fullbacks, particularly after turnovers in midfield.

Confirmed line-ups

Al-Ahli (XI): Al Sanbi (GK), Demiral, Hawsawi, Majrashi, Sulaiman, Galeno, Al-Johani, Goncalves, Atangana, Al-Brikan, Toney

Al-Ahli subs: Abdo, Abdulrahman, Hamed, Dams, Madani, Almuwallad, Al-Attar, Milot, Alshamat

Al-Nassr (XI): Nawaf (GK), Sultan, Amri, Inigo, Saad, Brozovic, Angelo, Coman, Wesley, Joao Felix, Ronaldo (captain)

Al-Nassr subs: Najjar, Boushal, Salem, Khaibari, Alhassan, Ghareeb, Ayman, Camara, Marran

Players to watch

Cristiano Ronaldo: Still the box threat Al-Ahli must track on every phase — open play, set pieces, and second balls. If the game becomes scrappy, his timing in the area becomes even more valuable.

Joao Felix: The connector who can tilt the match. If he gets pockets between midfield and defense, Al-Nassr’s final ball arrives faster and with more variety.

Ivan Toney: Built for big nights. If Al-Ahli can generate deliveries and win second balls around him, they can force Al-Nassr into the kind of defending they don’t want — deep, reactive, and under aerial pressure.

What results could mean

If Al-Nassr win: They steady the ship after the draw and keep control of the title race heading into the next stretch of fixtures.

If it’s a draw: It keeps Al-Nassr unbeaten, but the chasing pack will see it as another chance to squeeze the gap at the top.

If Al-Ahli win: It’s the kind of statement that changes the conversation — not just about Al-Ahli’s ceiling, but about whether the title race is about to open up.

Want to track the official standings as they update through the season? Use the league’s table here: Saudi Pro League standings.

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