Ronaldo's raid, Al Hilal's hunt, Toney on top, NEOM SC entry fray: The Season So Far
After such a busy start to the 2026-27 Roshn Saudi League, the international break brings with it a chance to breathe and absorb what has taken place across the opening months in the Saudi top flight.
It’s safe to say the campaign has had a little bit of everything so far - fast starts, slow starts, upsets, and new stars lighting it up - so here we look at some of the major talking points at the one-third mark of the latest RSL season.
--------
Al Hilal set standard
A perfect October - four wins from four - has kept Al Hilal top of the table, despite the pressure being applied by Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah.
One of those wins came against Al Qadsiah, in a display that underlined why Al Hilal remain such a formidable force. They always just find a way to get it done.
Boasting both the finest attacking and defensive records in the division, Simone Inzaghi seems to have found the perfect balance.
Can the 2023-24 champions keep it going and land a first RSL title in three seasons?
--------
Reijnders powers Al Qadsiah’s challenge
Hot on Al Hilal’s heels are Al Qadsiah, which will come as a surprise to nobody after their strong finish to last season.
However, it’s the arrival of Tijjani Reijnders that has turned Brendan Rodgers’ surging side from an outside contender to a genuine title challenger.
The summer signing from Manchester City has eight goals and three assists - an incredible return, not only for someone new to Saudi football, but for one who’s predominantly a midfielder.
Reijnders’ hat-trick against Al Riyadh in his most recent outing capped off a near-perfect month in which he was named the RSL’s Player of the Month for October.
Will the in-form Netherlands international be the final piece of Al Qadsiah’s title-winning puzzle?
--------
Cristiano closes in on 1,000
With 985 career goals, Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement sharpens the attention on the Al Nassr star as he chases the final 15 to reach the historic milestone.
With no more international duty for the 41-year-old, it means if the record is to be broken, it will be while wearing the Al Nassr armband.
And despite conceding he’s in the twilight of an almost-unparallelled career, Ronaldo’s 15-minute hat-trick against Al Kholood last time out illustrated that he still has what it takes to make a difference as he and champions Al Nassr aim for back-to-back RSL titles.
--------
Al Shabab show signs of life
Before the last international window across September and October, Al Shabab were yet to win a game and sat near the foot of the table.
What a difference a month can make.
In the four games between FIFA breaks, the capital club are undefeated, with three wins and a draw, with their 6-1 victory against Al Ahli before the pause the one that stands out.
Manager Thomas Letsch credited the previous international break for improving the team’s cohesion. Can Al Shabab make this one just as effective?
--------
NEOM SC enter conversation
After an inauspicious debut season in the RSL, NEOM Sports Club seem to have found a new lease of life this campaign - one built around being tough to break down.
While they’re the lowest-scoring side of the top six (18 goals), they have the second-best defence behind Al Hilal (10 Conceded).
Speaking of Al Hilal, NEOM SC are also the only side to take points from Inzaghi’s side this term, with the stunning "historic" 2-0 win at Kingdom Arena.
Keep the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma firing, and Christophe Galtier’s men might just gatecrash that top five.
--------
Toney dominates, but Al Ahli inconsistent
This was meant to be the year that Al Ahli turned seasons’ worth of promise and squad building into a sustained RSL title challenge.
Yet the loss of manager Matthias Jaissle on the eve of the campaign seems to have unsettled the back-to-back Asian champions.
And that’s despite the stellar form of Ivan Toney, who has 12 goals in nine matches to race out in front in the battle for the RSL golden boot.
Al Ahli’s heavy defeat at Al Shabab exposed their vulnerabilities, leaving them nine points off the pace already. Although, what better way to bounce back into title contention with victory against holders Al Nassr, when the league resumes on November 20?
--------
Al Taawoun take a tumble
The Buraidah club have been one of the great stories of recent RSL seasons, finishing fourth and sixth in two of the past three campaigns.
However, the stability and structure built during Pericles Chamusca’s two spells has been rocked.
For the first time in the Saudi Pro League era, Al Taawoun are winless through the opening 12 games and, surprisingly for a side with all-time-record-chasing Abderrazak Hamdallah, they possess the league’s worst attacking record (six goals).
How do the Wolves, second from bottom, regain their bite?
