2025-26 Saudi Pro League Set to Launch with João Félix Signing and Lewandowski Rumors

Saudi Pro League Season at a Glance

The 2025-26 Saudi Pro League kicks off on August 28th. While the opening round of fixtures has yet to be confirmed, at the time of writing, match week one is sure to produce some intriguing encounters.

Eighteen teams compete in the division, and across the season, each side will play each other twice. At the end of those 34 matches, the club at the top of the table will be crowned as champions. Unlike some other domestic competitions, there are no playoffs in the Saudi Pro League.

Along with the title, there is plenty to play for. The top three teams at the end of the campaign will qualify for the AFC Champions League, while the sides in the bottom three places will be relegated to the second tier.

Al-Ittihad go into the new season as defending champions, having won the league by eight clear points in 2024-25. The club will likely see stiff challenges from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, who finished in second and third, respectively.

The Saudi Pro League welcomes three newly promoted clubs, as Neom, Al-Najma, and Al-Hazem make their way up from the FD League. They will replace Al-Raed, Al-Orobah, and Al-Wehda, who were relegated from the Pro League at the end of last season.

The clubs are ready, and there will be many new faces across the squads as they assemble for the new campaign.

Transfer and Squad Headlines

August is the busiest month for signings. Saudi clubs will be looking for last-minute deals to strengthen their sides, and they will be assessing the European transfer window, which is currently open. There’s room for new arrivals, but many teams have already sealed some notable acquisitions.

João Félix to Al-Nassr

The standout arrival is João Félix, who crosses from Chelsea to join Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. The Portuguese international struggled to settle in the UK and will now switch to the Saudi Pro League after impressing during a brief loan spell with AC Milan.

Félix will complete a formidable front line and, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane alongside, Al-Nassr won’t be short of goals. Chelsea was paid an initial fee of £26.2 million for his services — which may prove to be a bargain by today’s standards.

Ismael Bennacer Stays in Europe

Not every high-profile footballer is swayed by the top salaries paid by Saudi clubs. In 2024, there were links to the Brazilian forward Richarlison, who eventually chose to stay at Spurs, where his decision was rewarded with a Europa League win.

Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Algerian international Ismael Bennacer can be considered as the ‘one that got away.’ The defender was linked with a move to Al-Ittihad — but, while he seems likely to leave his current club, AC Milan, reports claim that he wants to stay in Europe. Saudi teams may continue to monitor the situation, but there are other targets besides Ismael Bennacer.

Robert Lewandowski Interest

One of the most prolific strikers in world football is reportedly under the radar of several Saudi Pro League clubs. He may be reaching the veteran stages of his career, but Polish international Robert Lewandowski would certainly be a prized scalp for any of those linked teams.

The Barcelona forward has now scored more than 700 goals in his career, and he is his country’s all-time leading scorer. The clubs in question are, as yet, unnamed, but it’s thought that several Pro League sides are monitoring Lewandowski’s situation.

Late Transfers

There is room for more late deals to be confirmed before the start of the new Pro League season. Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez looks set to leave Anfield following the arrival of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. Nunez will find that his game time at Liverpool will be limited next season, and Al-Hilal may offer an escape.

It’s reported that younger players are now considering moves to the Saudi Pro League. It’s no longer seen as an option for older overseas stars to grab a final paycheck before calling time on their careers. That could be down to the fact that the competition is far more competitive, as evidenced by Al-Hilal’s positive performances at the recent FIFA Club World Cup.