Saudi football authorities launch disciplinary proceedings over offensive chants about Diogo Jota

A fan shows a sign in tribute to Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, who passed away after a car crash, during the Fifa Club World Cup 2025 quarterfinal football match between Spain's Real Madrid and Germany's Borussia Dortmund at the MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey July 5, 2025. — AFP pic

First Published: Tuesday, 15 Sep 2026 10:01 AM MYT

ISTANBUL, Sept 15 — The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and Saudi Professional League condemned chants directed at late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota during a Saturday match between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal, vowing disciplinary action against those responsible.

In a joint statement late Sunday, the SAFF and the league called the behaviour during the Saudi Professional League match “unacceptable” and contrary to the values of Saudi football and sportsmanship, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

The governing bodies said exploiting personal tragedies to incite or provoke others “has no place in Saudi football.”

The SAFF said relevant committees had monitored the incidents and initiated disciplinary proceedings in line with established regulations and bylaws.

Jota, 28, and his younger brother Andre Silva, 25, died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025.

Following the match, Portugal international and Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves reacted angrily to the chants. Neves, one of Jota’s closest friends and a pallbearer at his funeral, sarcastically applauded and gave a thumbs-up toward the stands before pointing toward the sky.

“I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did,” Neves said after the match.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo also condemned the incident on social media.

“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo wrote. “People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again.” — Bernama