The Saudi Professional League Association has revealed the criteria used to prepare the schedule for the 2026-2027 Roshn Saudi League season, which runs from August 13, 2026 to May 29, 2027, ahead of the official announcement of the competition schedule.

The Association explained that publishing the schedule preparation mechanism aims to enhance transparency and inform clubs, fans, and media of the foundations used, especially given the crowded calendar with local, continental, and international competitions next season.

It stated that it held a workshop with representatives of all clubs to explain the scheduling mechanism and calendar, and also gave clubs the opportunity to submit their observations and requests regarding the sequence and dates of matches before finalizing the schedule.

The upcoming season will see eight Saudi clubs participate in four external tournaments, along with international breaks designated by FIFA and the Saudi national team's commitments, which take up about 80 days of the calendar. Additionally, the Kingdom will host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, requiring more than 44 days, not including the period for preparing stadiums before the tournament.

The calendar also includes 59 days allocated for local and continental tournaments, plus 43 days for rest between matches, leaving the Association with only 102 actual days to schedule 306 matches across 34 rounds.

The Association confirmed that schedule preparation was based on three main pillars: scheduling criteria, classification of clubs according to their technical levels, and stadium readiness and availability throughout the season.

10 criteria for organizing matches

The Association adopted ten main criteria when preparing the schedule, most notably that no team plays more than two consecutive home or away matches, ensuring each team plays one home and one away match in the first two and last two rounds of the season.

It also ensured that the rest period between two consecutive matches for any team is no less than two days, regardless of the competition, to protect player safety and ensure clubs are ready for various tournaments.

Club classification to achieve balance

Roshn League clubs were divided into four tiers, with five clubs in the first and second tiers, and four clubs in the third and fourth tiers, to achieve balance in the sequence of matches.

This classification prevents any team from facing first-tier clubs in two consecutive rounds, limiting the clustering of difficult matches over short periods. The classification is based on results from the last three seasons, with greater weight given to last season's results.

Stadium readiness among scheduling priorities

The Association confirmed that stadium readiness and availability were key factors in schedule preparation, given the Kingdom hosting several tournaments and sporting events. It noted that the schedule took into account competitive fairness, ensuring regularity of the competition, and providing the best possible experience for fans and clubs.

The Saudi Professional League Association is expected to announce the schedule for the 2026-2027 Roshn League matches in the coming period, after completing all procedures for final approval.

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