Al-Taawoun handed two-match stadium ban over Diogo Jota chants
Al-Taawoun have been fined nearly £20,000 and ordered to play two home games behind closed doors after their fans chanted the name of Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League match against Al-Hilal. Rúben Neves, a former Wolves and Portugal teammate of the late forward, looked to the sky as the chants were heard. Cristiano Ronaldo had called for lifetime stadium bans for those supporters.
ByJavi
5 min read
The Saudi Pro League has fined Al-Taawoun nearly £20,000 and ordered the club to play two home matches behind closed doors after supporters chanted the name of Diogo Jota, the late Liverpool and Portugal forward, during Saturday's game against Al-Hilal. The Saudi Football Federation ruled that the chants breached its disciplinary and ethics regulations and applied an increased penalty.
- Al-Taawoun must play their next two home league matches without fans.
- The financial penalty totals 100,000 riyals, around £19,800.
- Ruben Neves, a former Wolves and Portugal teammate of Jota, reacted on the pitch by looking to the sky.
- Cristiano Ronaldo had demanded lifetime stadium bans for those supporters.
- Jota died in July 2025 alongside his brother Andre Silva in a road accident in Spain.
What happened during Al-Taawoun vs Al-Hilal
Saturday's Saudi league clash produced a moment that went far beyond the result. Chants of Jota's name were clearly audible from the home section at Al-Taawoun, aimed at the visiting Al-Hilal side. Cameras captured Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves looking to the sky, a gesture widely read as a private tribute to his former teammate.
Neves shared a dressing room with Jota at Wolves and with the Portugal national team. After the forward's death in July 2025, the midfielder was one of the pallbearers at his funeral, a detail that underlines how close the two men were and explains the emotional weight of what unfolded on the pitch.
The Saudi Football Federation's sanction against Al-Taawoun
The Saudi Football Federation's Disciplinary and Ethics Committee stated that Al-Taawoun fans chanted phrases and slogans that violated the provisions of the disciplinary and ethics regulations. As a result, the committee decided to increase the penalty in accordance with article 39-4 of those regulations.
The fans of Al-Taawoun chanted phrases and slogans that violated the provisions of the disciplinary and ethics regulations, and the committee decided to increase the penalty in accordance with article 39-4 of the disciplinary and ethics regulations.
The ruling orders the club to play its next two official home matches without spectators and imposes a fine of 100,000 riyals. At current exchange rates, that figure amounts to roughly £19,800, a significant sum in Saudi football and a firm message against this kind of behaviour in stadiums.
Cristiano Ronaldo's response to the Diogo Jota chants
Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr forward and former Portugal teammate of Jota, spoke out forcefully before the ruling was announced. The Portuguese captain called for the fans responsible for those chants to be identified and punished with lifetime bans from stadiums.
His stance increased the pressure on the Saudi Pro League's disciplinary bodies. The sanction ultimately imposed, while short of the permanent ban Ronaldo demanded, delivers a strong correction for the club and a warning to fanbases across the competition.
Who Diogo Jota was and why his memory still resonates
Diogo Jota, a forward for Liverpool and Portugal, lost his life in July 2025 in a car crash in Spain. His brother, Andre Silva, also died in the accident. The news shook European football and left a deep void at Anfield, where the attacker had won over the crowd with his work rate and goalscoring instinct.
His connection with Ruben Neves dates back to their time together at Wolverhampton and continued with the Portuguese national team. That shared history makes the chants from the Al-Taawoun section a particularly painful episode, beyond the administrative sanction the club now faces.
Sporting consequences of the ban for Al-Taawoun
Playing two home matches without the backing of their own supporters is a competitive blow for Al-Taawoun in the middle of the season. The atmosphere factor often proves decisive in the Saudi Pro League, and the club must now face those fixtures in an empty stadium while also absorbing the financial penalty set by the federation.
The measure also carries reputational weight. The punishment puts Al-Taawoun in the spotlight for an episode that has nothing to do with football and forces the club's leadership to tighten controls so that offensive chants do not happen again in its stands.
Frequently asked questions
Why has Al-Taawoun been sanctioned?
Because their fans chanted the name of Diogo Jota during the match against Al-Hilal. The Saudi Football Federation ruled that the chants breached its disciplinary and ethics regulations and applied an increased penalty due to the seriousness of the incident.
What is the exact punishment imposed on Al-Taawoun?
The club must play its next two home league matches behind closed doors and pay a fine of 100,000 riyals, approximately £19,800. The Saudi Football Federation announced the ruling after reviewing what happened in the game against Al-Hilal.
What did Cristiano Ronaldo say about the Diogo Jota chants?
Cristiano Ronaldo demanded that the fans who chanted the name of his former Portugal teammate be punished with lifetime bans from entering any stadium. His reaction came before the Saudi Football Federation announced the sanction against Al-Taawoun.