RIYADH — February 27, 2026. The Saudi Pro League (SPL) title race has reached a critical juncture following the conclusion of Matchday 22. Defending champions Al Hilal maintained their dominance at the top of the table with a decisive 2-0 victory over Al Ettifaq at the Kingdom Arena. Goals from Mohamed Kanno and Salem Al-Dawsari secured the three points, keeping the Blue Waves three points clear of their nearest rivals.
Meanwhile, Al Nassr kept pace in the pursuit of the crown with a 2-0 away win against Al Fateh. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 18th minute, followed by a second-half strike from Ayman Yahya. The result solidifies Al Nassr’s position in second place with 58 points, closely trailing Al Hilal as the league enters its final third.
In the weekend’s highest-scoring affair, Al Ahli delivered a clinical 5-2 performance against Al Shabab. The match featured a standout display from Riyad Mahrez and a late penalty by Ivan Toney, propelling Al Ahli to 59 points and temporarily overtaking Al Nassr in the standings (pending goal difference and game-in-hand adjustments). Al Ittihad also secured a vital 2-1 win over Al Fayha, thanks to a late winner from Hassan Kadesh, moving them closer to the AFC Champions League qualification spots.
League officials reported a total attendance of over 110,000 across the nine fixtures, with Al Hilal’s home match drawing a capacity crowd of 22,230. The league now takes a brief hiatus before Matchday 23 commences on March 5, where Al Nassr is scheduled to face Al Fayha in a crucial encounter for the title race.