Saudi club given stadium ban over Jota chants

What the report says

Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play two home league matches behind closed doors after supporters taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves about the death of his friend and former teammate Diogo Jota. The club has also been fined 100,000 Saudi riyals, or about £20,000, according to BBC Sport Football.

The incident took place before Al-Taawoun’s 6-0 defeat on Saturday, when fans repeatedly shouted Jota’s name at Neves. Jota, who played with Neves at Wolverhampton Wanderers and for Portugal, died in a car crash at the age of 28 in July last year. Neves has since paid tribute in several ways, including wearing Portugal’s No. 21 shirt in Jota’s memory and carrying a tattoo of the pair embracing.

After the match, Neves said he hoped those responsible would reflect on their behaviour. Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota’s Portugal teammate and now a player in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, also called for lifetime bans for the fans involved. Al-Taawoun said the chanting was unacceptable and did not reflect the club or its supporters.

The punishment highlights how football authorities in Saudi Arabia are responding to abusive fan conduct, particularly where it targets grief or personal loss. More broadly, it adds to scrutiny of how clubs and leagues handle crowd behaviour and sanctions in high-profile matches.