Cristiano Ronaldo wanted the supporters barred from stadiums for life. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s disciplinary and ethics committee opted for a club-level punishment instead.
The committee ordered Al-Taawoun to close their stadium for their next two home Saudi Pro League matches and fined the club 100,000 riyals (around $26,660), ruling that their supporters had breached article 51-2 of the federation’s regulations during Saturday’s league fixture against Al-Hilal in Buraydah.
Sections of the home crowd had chanted the name of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool and Portugal forward who was killed in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, in July 2025 alongside his brother André Silva. The chants were aimed at Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves, a close friend of Jota and a pallbearer at his funeral. Al-Hilal won the match 6-0.
Ronaldo: ‘This is no longer football’
Al-Nassr captain Ronaldo posted his response on Instagram after clips of the chants circulated over the weekend.
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“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. This is no longer football, and there have to be limits. People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again,” Ronaldo wrote.
The federation’s ruling does not name individual supporters or impose the lifetime bans Ronaldo called for. The two-match stadium closure and the fine sit at the club, not with the fans identified in the footage.
Al-Taawoun distance themselves from their own stand
Al-Taawoun issued a statement condemning the chants before the disciplinary hearing.
“Such conduct is completely unacceptable and does not represent Al-Taawoun, its supporters or the values for which its terraces are known,” the club said, adding that it would “take all necessary measures in coordination with the relevant authorities to prevent a recurrence and hold offenders accountable.”
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Neves responded to the chants on the pitch by pointing to his eye and then to the sky. Speaking after the match, he offered a short verdict on those in the stand.
“I hope they don’t go to pray afterwards,” Neves said.
What the sanction covers
The disciplinary decision, published on 15 September, applies only to Al-Taawoun’s next two home league fixtures and the fine paid by the club. No individual bans, no criminal referrals and no federation-wide policy on lifetime stadium bans of the kind Ronaldo requested were announced with the ruling.
Al-Taawoun’s next home Saudi Pro League match will now be played inside an empty stadium in Buraydah.
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