Felix bags treble as unstoppable Al-Nassr extend lead at top of Saudi Pro League

Felix bags treble as unstoppable Al-Nassr extend lead at top of Saudi Pro League
Joao Felix's hat-trick in Al-Nassr's 5-1 win over Al-Fateh earned him the Man of the Match. (X/@AlNassrFC_EN)
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Updated 19 October 2025
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Felix bags treble as unstoppable Al-Nassr extend lead at top of Saudi Pro League

Felix bags treble as unstoppable Al-Nassr extend lead at top of Saudi Pro League
  • 5-1 win over Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park sees Riyadh club open up 4-point gap on rivals Al-Hilal

RIYADH: A Joao Felix hat-trick on Saturday saw Al-Nassr extend their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League after a comprehensive 5-1 win over Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park.

The Riyadh club now have a maximum 15 points after five rounds of the SPL season, four more than second-place Al-Hilal, who earlier in the day beat Al-Ettifaq 5-0 in Dammam.

Going into the weekend’s fixtures, Al-Nassr held a three-point lead over reigning champions Al-Ittihad, who could only manage a 1-1 draw at Al-Fayha on Friday.

Portuguese playmaker Felix opened the scoring for Al-Nassr in the 13th minute with what turned out to be the only goal of the first half. The leaders were rocked when Algerian forward Sofiane Bendebka equalized for Al-Fateh in the 54th minute, but the setback proved to be just a temporary one for Al-Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo restored Al-Nassr’s lead on the hour mark with a sensational long-range strike, one minute after seeing his penalty saved by the visitors’ goalkeeper Amin Al-Bukhari.

Felix continued his excellent form since joining Al-Nassr this summer by scoring the Yellows’ third and fifth goals in the 68th and 80th minutes, while Frenchman Kingsley Coman got in on the act by scoring the fourth in the 75th minute.

Al-Nassr’s next match is away to Goa on Wednesday in AFC Champions League Two before they travel to Al-Hazem for their sixth clash of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Earlier on Saturday, visitors Al-Hazem defeated Al-Okhdood 2-1 to climb to 12th in the SPL table, while their hosts are now in 17th position.


Riyadh to host PIF Saudi International as part of Riyadh Season 2025

Riyadh to host PIF Saudi International as part of Riyadh Season 2025
Updated 10 November 2025
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Riyadh to host PIF Saudi International as part of Riyadh Season 2025

Riyadh to host PIF Saudi International as part of Riyadh Season 2025
  • Joaquin Niemann returns to Saudi capital to defend title he won last year
  • Dustin Johnson, a two-time winner of the PIF Saudi International (2021, 2022), will make his sixth appearance at the tournament

RIYADH: Golf Saudi has officially announced the launch of the 2025 PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, a major sporting event taking place as part of Riyadh Season 2025.

This year’s edition brings a new and exceptional twist, with the introduction of the WOW Festival — an immersive celebration combining world-class golf, luxury cars, and live music, offering a unique experience that blends sport, entertainment and culture in one of the highlights of Riyadh Season 2025.

Golf enthusiasts can look forward to seeing some of the sport’s biggest names, including Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton, and Dustin Johnson, as they compete in the season finale of the International Series on the Asian Tour.

The PIF Saudi International is likely to be one of the standout experiences of the Riyadh Season 2025.

Ticket sales are now open for fans via Webook.com, with the tournament to be held Nov. 19-22 at Riyadh Golf Club.

Defending champion Niemann will return this November after securing a dramatic victory in a three-way, two-hole playoff last year to claim the title and top the International Series rankings. The 26-year-old has been in dominant form, capturing seven titles in the LIV Golf League, including five this season.

Johnson, a two-time winner of the PIF Saudi International (2021, 2022), will make his sixth appearance at the tournament, while Ryder Cup star Hatton returns after an impressive debut last year, where he finished fifth.

Niemann said: “I’m really looking forward to returning to Riyadh to defend my title at the PIF Saudi International. Last year’s win was a special moment in my career, and the atmosphere at Riyadh Golf Club was incredible. The course sets up really well for my game, and with such a strong field again this year, it’s going to be an exciting challenge.”

Golf Saudi’s vision is to be the catalyst for Saudi Arabia to become an exceptional golfing nation. In addition to delivering world class events such as the PIF Saudi International, Golf Saudi delivers world-class facilities, operational excellence, and implementation of best practices at its impressive portfolio of events.

The tournament is the last of nine elevated events on The International Series calendar this season. The Asian Tour-sanctioned tournaments provide a direct pathway for players from all over the world into the LIV Golf League. The champion and runner-up of the season-ending International Series Rankings will secure a spot on the 2026 LIV Golf League roster.

This is the second year the tournament will be held at Riyadh Golf Club, the home of Golf Saudi and is the Saudi capital’s premier golf course. Its par-72 championship course is set across 7,434 yards of undulating fairways and has played host to many of the Kingdom’s leading tournaments, including the Saudi Open presented by PIF, the Aramco Team Series Riyadh, and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.

The PIF Saudi International moved to the Asian Tour circuit in 2022 as part of a new partnership and this year has attracted a stellar family of co-sponsors including Riyadh Season, tournament partners SHG, GIB, Al-Hammadi Hospitals Group, Saddik & Mohamed Attar, and Rolex.

To buy tickets for the PIF Saudi International, please visit www.saudiinternational.com

For more information about the tournament and future Golf Saudi events, visit Golf Saudi.