August 2025 Saudi Pro League Recap: Major Transfers, Comebacks, and Super Cup Drama Set the Stage for 2025/26
August 2025 was a wild one in the Saudi Pro League. With the new season just around the corner, fans got a taste of the drama early. Big names came back, transfers shocked everyone, and teams shook up their squads in a big way.
Yasser Al Shahrani made an emotional return to Al Qadsiah. Saad Al Shehri is back in charge at Al Ettifaq. Al Nassr lit things up with the signings of Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman. Not to be outdone, Al Hilal pulled off a surprise by bringing in Darwin Nunez. And Al Ahli? They kicked off the season with silverware, lifting the Saudi Super Cup.
Here’s a quick look at the biggest headlines from a jam-packed August in Saudi football.
Al Shahrani’s Emotional Return to Al Qadsiah as Saudi Pro League Legend
Yasser Al Shahrani wrapped up a legendary stint at Al Hilal and returned to his roots at Al Qadsiah. After 13 years and 400+ games, the full-back is heading back to the club where it all began. It’s more than just a transfer; it’s a homecoming.
At Al Hilal, Al Shahrani was a cornerstone. Alongside Salem Al Dawsari and Salman Al Faraj, he helped define an era of dominance under Jorge Jesus. Now, he brings that winning mindset back to Al Qadsiah, who are hoping his experience can push them toward the top three.
Saad Al Shehri, The Man for Al Ettifaq
Saad Al Shehri achieved the seemingly impossible task of turning the fortunes of Al Ettifaq around in the 2024/25 season. He is poised to lead them into the 2025/26 season, and optimism is creeping back into camp ahead of the new season.
Al Shehri’s success can be contextualized by the sheer volume of managers who have attempted the Al Ettifaq dugout. Since the 2017/18 Saudi Pro League season, 10 different managers, including caretakers, have taken their positions in the hot seat. Al Shehri has been the best in terms of winning percentage and second in points-per-game ratio among the lot.
Al Shehri came to the job when Al Ettifaq were flailing under Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. In the final 17 outings in the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League, he guided them from the threat of relegation to a top-seven finish with 9 wins and 4 draws.
The focus for Al Shehri will be to build on the success of the tail-end of the 2024/25 season. The foundation is laid for the 2025/25 campaign, with Al Shehri getting his opportunity from the start of the season. This augurs well for Al Ettifaq in the 2025/26 season.
The Portuguese Connection: The Ronaldo and Felix Partnership for Al Nassr
August saw the confirmation of the move of Joao Felix from Chelsea to Al Nassr, setting up an enticing partnership with compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo in attack.
The talented 25-year-old playmaker will share a locker room and play with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Al Nassr is poised to reap the benefits of this partnership. The duo will also benefit from the leadership of the man in the dugout, compatriot Jorge Jesus.
Felix is a skillful player with significant skills on the ball, defence-splitting passing, and clever movement. His partnership with Ronaldo in attack will add another dimension to an attack that scored 80 goals in the 2024/25 season, behind only Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
It is Darwin Nunez for Al Hilal
Al Hilal have to respond in the 2025/26 season after their crown was taken away by a resurgent Al Ittihad. Their statement acquisition this summer is Darwin Nunez from Liverpool. The 2023/24 Saudi Pro League champions have added a potential contender for the Golden Boot for the 2025/26 season in Nunez to add to their impressive array of attack.
The 26-year-old Nunez arrives at the Kingdom Arena as an English Premier League champion with Liverpool. His stay at Anfield resulted in 40 goals and 26 assists in 143 appearances.
Al Hilal, who have already bolstered their ranks with France international full-back Theo Hernandez from AC Milan, will expect Nunez to lead the line. As Al Hilal rejigs under Simone Inzaghi ahead of the 2025/26 season, Nunez is a major part of this transformation as they bid to improve on their runners-up finish from the 2024.25 season.
Kingsley Coman Makes the Saudi Pro League Move with Al Nassr
Al Nassr’s rebuild ahead of the 2025/26 season continued unabated in August. After confirming the marquee acquisition of Joao Felix from Chelsea, Jorge Jesus’s side made another top-line signing, this time taking Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich.
The decorated wide player, who spent 10 years with the German giants and won nine Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in the 2019/20 season, will be plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League.
Previously with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, Coman will add experience and significant dynamism to Al Nassr’s attack. Already beaming with the quality of Cristiano Ronaldo and Felix, Coman will add another layer to their attack. He will offer quality going forward, marked by creativity and goal-scoring.
Coman made an encouraging debut for Al Nassr at the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Ahli, where they lost 3-5 on penalties after the match ended 2-2 on regulation time.
Al Ahli Make A Statement with Penalty Triumph Over Al Nassr in Saudi Super Cup
With the 2025/26 season almost kicking off, Al Ahli made a statement of intent by beating favourites Al Nassr on penalties to lift the Saudi Super Cup.
Al Ahli, who are the Asian champions, beat Al Nassr 5-3 on penalties after the match in Hong Kong ended in a 2-2 draw in regulation time. Al Nassr tried their new-look attack with Coman and Felix playing behind Ronaldo. Al Ahli stuck to their tried and tested lineup with Ivan Toney leading the line with support from Mahrez and al-Buraikan.
The win gave Al Ahli the first piece of silverware of the 2025/26 campaign, as the new Saudi Pro League campaign gets set to kick off on 28th August 2025.
The win will also be a psychological boost for Al Ahli, who finished fifth on the Saudi Pro League table in the 2024/25 season. They are looking to push the top end of the table ahead of the new season, and this win helps bolster their confidence.
In sum, August has set the stage for what is expected to be an exciting and dynamic 2025/26 season. With managers at the ready and marquee signings champing at the bit, the Saudi Pro League is about to roar into action with significant promise of ups and downs, reinvention, legacy, and every club chasing wins, points, and trophies.
