The Saudi Professional League has announced the annual plan for the upcoming season of the Roshn League, including the start and end dates of the season, as well as the expected dates for all rounds.
Season Start and End Dates
The Roshn League competitions will begin on the thirteenth of August and conclude on the twenty-ninth of May, spanning a period within a busy calendar filled with international, continental, and domestic commitments.
Considerations for Schedule Preparation
The League stated that the schedule preparation took into account eighty days allocated for international break periods and the participation of the Saudi national team, in addition to the Kingdom hosting the 2027 Asian Cup. It also allocated 103 days for conducting 34 league rounds, which include 306 matches.
Distribution of Rounds Across Months
According to the initial plan, August will witness four rounds, followed by September and October with four rounds each. November and December will contain three rounds per month, while the league will pause during January. It will resume in February with three rounds, then March with two rounds, April will host six rounds, and during May, five rounds will be played.
Coordination of Match Dates with Other Activities
Twenty-five rounds are scheduled to take place on weekends, in addition to four partial rounds on weekends and five rounds in the middle of the week, due to time pressures resulting from the international, continental, and domestic calendar. Seven Saudi clubs participate in four external tournaments, which further complicates the process of scheduling matches and rest days, especially in the final third of the season as the decisive phases of the league coincide with those tournaments.
The League, in collaboration with the clubs and relevant authorities, has formulated a schedule that balances the competitive loads of clubs participating in external competitions with the requirements for regularity and fairness of the league, aiming to develop the competition and improve the fan experience under the constraints imposed by the annual calendar on the number of playing days.
The League emphasized that the annual plan for the 2026-2027 season reflects the nature of an exceptional season for Saudi football, noting that the distribution of rounds was designed to achieve the highest level of balance among all requirements.
