Al Nassr's Asian Champions League match in Riyadh delayed an hour after security alert
The Asian Champions League game against Neftchi Fergana, due at 19:15 Portugal time, was pushed back to 20:15 after Saudi civil defence issued a 'potential danger' alert for Riyadh. Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix and Samu Costa were in the starting line-up when the players were sent back to the dressing rooms.
What happened in Riyadh
The Asian Champions League match between Al Nassr and Neftchi Fergana, scheduled for 19:15 Portugal time on Monday, 12 October, was delayed by about an hour after Saudi civil defence issued a security alert for a 'potential danger' in Riyadh. The players had already completed their warm-up and were on the way out of the dressing rooms when the alarms sounded, and they were sent back inside. The alert was published on X, calling for calm and asking people to follow official instructions. SAPO reported that some fans were in the stands at Alawwal Park when the alarm went off, and that an initial message urged them to stay calm in their seats. The players returned to the pitch at 19:55 to resume warm-ups, and the Asian Football Confederation then confirmed a 20:15 kick-off.
- Saudi civil defence issues a 'potential danger' alert for Riyadh
- Scheduled kick-off is not started, players are held in the dressing rooms
- Players return to the pitch to resume warm-ups
- Asian Football Confederation confirms the new kick-off time
Conflicting accounts of the trigger
Reports differ on what caused the alarm. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it had destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the group toward Riyadh, according to Reuters. The Houthis claimed a drone attack on the Khamis Mushait air base, a claim Saudi Arabia had not confirmed at the time of publication. Other reports said witnesses heard three explosions and that a large fire was seen in the city, and an intercepted drone was reported near the Al-Awwal Park stadium. Rumours that a missile had been intercepted circulated without official confirmation. One SAPO report, citing local press, attributed the delay to heavy rain that damaged the stadium lighting, a cause no other article in the cluster mentions.
The Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia
The delay came amid escalating fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who have controlled Sanaa since 2014. The conflict escalated in mid-July, when the insurgents accused Riyadh of bombing Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian plane from landing, although the attack was claimed by the Yemeni army. On Sunday, 11 October, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Telegram that the group had carried out a 'three-phase operation' against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, starting on Friday night, without specifying the phases or the attacks involved. Saudi Arabia announced three attacks on the capital's airport since Friday, 9 October, which caused more than 15 deaths in total and hundreds of injuries. The Houthis have claimed several drone and ballistic missile attacks on Saudi airports and energy facilities in recent weeks, and other pro-Iranian armed groups have also targeted Saudi energy and civilian infrastructure.
What the reports do not yet confirm
No official body has confirmed the missile or drone claims in the articles, and the Saudi civil defence alert is the only official statement cited. The reports do not establish whether a drone or missile was intercepted over Riyadh or where any such object landed. The match was rescheduled for 20:15, but the articles do not report its result or confirm that it was played as planned.
