Al-Hilal withdraw from Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong as fans snap up tickets
One of the kingdom’s biggest teams might not be coming next month because their players are tired after Club World Cup display
Al-Hilal have reportedly withdrawn from next month’s Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong, although that did not stop fans snapping up the first tranche of tickets on Tuesday.
The defending champions, who reached the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup earlier this month, cited player exhaustion as their reason for pulling out in communications with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), according to several media reports.
Riydah-based sports journalist Hamad Al-Suwailihi also posted on X that the club, who were expected to play Al-Qadisiyah at Hong Kong Stadium on August 19, had told the federation of their decision.
However, a spokesman for the event, said organisers “had not received any notification or updates from the SAFF regarding changes to the participating teams”.
Local media reports in Saudi Arabia said the federation was reportedly reviewing what actions would be taken against the club, including a 500,000-riyal (US$133,300) fine and a potential ban from the next edition.
On Tuesday, the first batch of tickets for the tournament, which also involves Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side and Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad, sold out within an hour of going online, organisers said.