The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) announced in an official statement issued today, Wednesday, January 7, 2026, that it has received the final ruling issued by the Saudi Center for Sports Arbitration regarding the dispute with Al Hilal Club. The Federation affirmed its full and immediate commitment to implementing all aspects of the decision, emphasizing its complete respect for the sports judicial system in the Kingdom and its ongoing efforts to uphold the principles of transparency and good governance, which are fundamental pillars of the Saudi football development strategy.
Details of the penalties and decisions issued
The arbitration panel's ruling overturned the previous appeals committee decision and confirmed Al-Hilal Club's violation of Article (3/59) of the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee's regulations. Consequently, a series of severe penalties were imposed, including:
- Al-Hilal club is obligated to pay a financial penalty of 500,000 Saudi Riyals .
- The club will be banned from participating in the Saudi Super Cup for the upcoming 2026/2027 season.
- The club will be deprived of any financial proceeds allocated to the Super Cup competition for the current 2025/2026 season.
- The two parties to the dispute (Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad Saudi) will bear the arbitration costs equally, at a rate of 46,400 riyals for each party.
Strengthening the sports justice system
This decision underscores the pivotal role of the Saudi Center for Sports Arbitration as a supreme and independent judicial body, specializing in resolving sports disputes after all domestic avenues have been exhausted. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation's compliance with this ruling, despite being a party to the dispute, reflects a significant maturity within the Saudi sports landscape, where all institutions and clubs are subject to the rule of law and regulations without exception.
This step is of paramount importance in the context of the rapid development witnessed by Saudi sports, as the strict and impartial application of regulations is one of the most important standards of professionalism that attracts investments and enhances the credibility of local competitions in front of the international sports community.
Impact of the decision on the competitive landscape
This decision is expected to have a significant impact on domestic competition, given Al-Hilal's status as one of the pillars of Saudi football and a perennial title contender. The absence of a team of Al-Hilal's stature from the upcoming Super Cup will open the door for other clubs to compete for the title. Furthermore, the financial penalties and withholding of revenues serve as a clear disciplinary message to all clubs, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to ethical and disciplinary regulations.
The Federation concluded its statement by reminding everyone of the text of Article (61) of the Basic Statute, which confirms that the decisions of the Sports Arbitration Center are final, binding and not subject to appeal before any local or international body, thus closing the file of this case definitively.
