Riyadh: Al-Hilal has announced that its first-team players will be unavailable for the 2025/26 Saudi Super Cup due to contractual leave entitlements and player fatigue concerns in a congested schedule.
In a release on Sunday, the club explained that the move was made to safeguard the health and preparedness of its international players for the upcoming national team camp and domestic competitions. The club emphasized the importance of adhering to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s (SAFF) regulations regarding the annual leave of professional players.
Following their participation in the recent Club World Cup in the United States where Al-Hilal reached the quarterfinals, securing a draw against Real Madrid and a milestone victory against Manchester City the players were given no time to relax. Due to travel restrictions after elimination by Fluminense, the team remained in Orlando for an additional three days, which reduced the players’ annual vacation to a meager 24 days if the club withdrew from the Super Cup, and a paltry 21 days if they participated. This falls below article 5.6 of the Professionalism and Player Status Regulations by SAFF, which provides for at least 28 days’ annual vacation.
The Saudi Super Cup, which was to be hosted in Hong Kong, coincided with the players’ already brief rest period and overlapped with the start of Al-Hilal’s preseason training. This delayed the preparation of the club and created imbalances of competitiveness among other clubs.
Five-time Saudi Super Cup winners Al-Hilal highlighted that several players showed signs of extreme physical and muscular fatigue following a draining campaign that had been ongoing for over a year. Protecting player welfare and aiding the Saudi national team, who have several Al-Hilal players, were at the heart of the withdrawal from the competition.
This move attests to the club’s position of putting the health of players first and being competitive for the upcoming football season.
verified from sources : arabnews