The Saudi Arabian Football Federation's Referees Committee officially announced the final list of refereeing teams assigned to officiate Saturday's matches, which are part of the 18th round of the Saudi Professional League. This round is particularly important given the close points standings between the teams and the clubs' desire to improve their positions in the league table as the competition intensifies in the second half of the season.
At the start of today's matches, all eyes will be on the Eastern Province, specifically Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, where Al-Khaleej will host Al-Shabab at 4:25 PM. The refereeing committee has assigned Abdullah Al-Kharboush , assisted by Mohammed Al-Hanfoush and Mohammed Khalil, with Ahmed Al-Rumikhani serving as the fourth official. To ensure the accuracy of refereeing decisions, Mohammed Al-Harbi will be in charge of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room, assisted by Abdulrahim Al-Shammari. This match represents a tough test for Al-Shabab, who are aiming to secure the points, against Al-Khaleej, who will have the advantage of playing at home in front of their fans.
In the second match, Al-Ettifaq will be a tough opponent for Al-Kholoud in a game to be held at Al-Hazm Club Stadium in Ar-Rass at 6:20 PM. The match will be officiated by international referee Mohammed Al-Howaish , one of the most prominent local referees, assisted by Khalaf Al-Shammari and Yasser Al-Sultan, with Abdullah Al-Harbi serving as the fourth official. Sami Al-Jaris will be in charge of VAR, assisted by Issa Al-Khaibri. This match is of paramount importance for Al-Ettifaq as they seek to return to winning ways and get their season back on track, while Al-Kholoud will be aiming for a positive upset on their home ground.
Saturday evening's football action concludes with a highly anticipated match in the north of the Kingdom, where Neom hosts Al-Ahli at King Khalid Sports City Stadium in Tabuk at 8:30 PM. The match will be officiated by referee Mohammed Al-Smaeel , assisted by Muayyad Al-Masjan and Hassan Al-Salam, with Farih Al-Jaloud serving as the fourth official. Mohammed Al-Buraidi will be in charge of VAR, assisted by Mufreh Al-Hassan. Al-Ahli matches always draw massive crowds, placing additional pressure on the refereeing team to ensure a smooth and fair game.
These appointments come as part of the Saudi Football Federation’s keenness to develop the refereeing system and give confidence to the local referee in managing major matches, especially in light of the tremendous development witnessed by the Saudi Roshan League and its attraction of the brightest international football stars, which raises the pace of competition and increases the sensitivity of refereeing decisions and their impact on the results of the teams.
