Al Riyadh SC: Inside the Relegation Battle That Could End Their Saudi Pro League Return
Quick Read
- Al-Riyadh sit 16th in the Saudi Pro League with just 23 points from 30 matches.
- The club has won only once in its last eight league games heading into the final stretch.
- Daniel Carreño faces a third straight relegation battle after replacing Javier Calleja in November.
- Mamadou Sylla leads Al-Riyadh with 7 goals as survival hopes hang on the final fixtures.
Al-Riyadh SC are staring down the most dangerous stretch of their short top flight comeback. Sitting 16th in the Saudi Pro League with three games left and a goal difference of 28, the capital club need a minor miracle and maximum points to preserve their Roshn Saudi League status for a fourth straight season.
This is not a gradual slide. It is a crisis. Five wins from 30 matches. Seventeen defeats. A run of form that makes even Al Najma’s struggle look competitive. And with the relegation trap door swinging open, every remaining fixture is effectively a cup final.
For fans tracking the Saudi Pro League standings, this is one of 2025-26’s most dramatic subplot a club that spent 18 years in the wilderness now at serious risk of returning there after just three seasons back.
Where Al Riyadh Stand The Brutal Numbers
As of Matchweek 31 (May 4, 2026), Al-Riyadh’s record reads: 5W–8D–17L, 23 points from 30 games, goal difference of –28. They sit in 16th place inside the relegation zone.
Three clubs go down at the end of the season. With three matches remaining, Al-Riyadh cannot afford to drop a single point if the sides above them are also picking up results.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 30 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 8 |
| Losses | 17 |
| Points | 23 |
| Goal Difference | –28 |
| Position | 16th (Relegation Zone) |
The recent run makes it worse. April 29 brought a humiliating 4–0 defeat to Al Qadsiah. Before that, a 2–1 loss at Al Hazem. A 2–1 win over Al Ettifaq on April 9 offered brief hope, as did a 1–1 draw with Al Shabab but those results sit inside a run that has yielded just one win in the last eight league outings.
Key stat: Al Riyadh have won zero of their last five away matches. With two of their final three fixtures at home, that record at Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium must improve immediately.
The Remaining Fixtures Three Finals
Al-Riyadh’s survival hinges on the following schedule. Every game is a must-win. There is no margin for draws, and certainly no margin for defeat.
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2026 | Al-Fayha vs Al-Riyadh | Al Majma’a Sport City Stadium (Away) |
| May 10, 2026 | Al-Riyadh vs Al-Fateh | Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium (Home) |
| May 15, 2026 | Al-Taawoun vs Al-Riyadh | Away |
| May 21, 2026 | Al-Riyadh vs Al-Akhdoud | Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium (Home) |
None of these opponents are title contenders but none are walkovers either. Al Fayha have won five of the last ten head to heads between these sides, while Al Riyadh have won none of that same sample. That H2H record is alarming context for today’s Matchweek 31 fixture.
Tickets and fixture updates for matches at Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium can be tracked at Al Nassr vs Al Riyadh and Al Ahli vs Al Riyadh for historical context on how Riyadh’s elite clubs have fared against this side.
Daniel Carreño Third Relegation or Great Escape?
When Javier Calleja was dismissed in November 2025, Al Riyadh turned to Uruguayan coach Daniel Carreño a man with deep Saudi football roots. He guided Al Nassr to the league title in 2013-14 and once pulled Al Wehda from relegation danger into the top four. He knows the Saudi Pro League intimately.
But the track record since that Al Nassr peak is troubling. He was unable to save Al Hazem from relegation. He failed again with Al Wehda last season, suffering two successive drops on his CV. Now Al Riyadh represent his third consecutive fight against the drop and he faces the same fate again unless the final three games deliver maximum points.
His appointment came too late to reshape the squad fundamentally. The summer 2025 signings Mamadou Sylla, Sergio González, Tozé and Ismaila Soro gave the side greater quality on paper. But the results tell a different story. Carreño has had to work with what he inherited and has been unable to find consistency in either defensive structure or attacking output.
Key Players Who Carries the Weight
Mamadou Sylla Top Scorer
The Senegalese forward arrived from Real Valladolid and leads Al-Riyadh’s scoring chart with 7 goals in 24 appearances. He is the team’s primary attacking threat and needs service and support to convert in the final three games.
Milan Borjan Last Line
The Serbian goalkeeper (No. 82) has been one of the few consistent performers. Borjan’s shot stopping has prevented the goal difference from becoming even more catastrophic. He is integral to any defensive resilience Al Riyadh must find.
Tozé Creative Engine
The Portuguese midfielder (No. 20) is tasked with unlocking defences. Hugely experienced and technically capable, Tozé’s form and fitness in the final weeks will be decisive in whether Al Riyadh create enough to win matches they need to win.
Enes Sali Underperforming Potential
The forward (No. 98) has had chances in key moments this season but has been let down by finishing. Against Al Nassr in February, he squandered a clear equalising opportunity. Those are the margins that define relegation battles.
Squad Overview
| Position | Player | No. |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Milan Borjan | 82 |
| DEF | Yoann Barbet | 5 |
| DEF | Sergio González | 4 |
| DEF | Marzouq Tambakti | 87 |
| MID | Tozé | 20 |
| MID | Yahya Al-Shehri | 88 |
| MID | Victor Lekhal | 27 |
| FWD | Mamadou Sylla | 9 |
| FWD | Teddy Okou | 10 |
| FWD | Enes Sali | 98 |
The Club’s History Why Relegation Would Hurt So Much
Al Riyadh were last in the Saudi Pro League in 2004-05, when they were relegated and spent 18 years in the lower divisions. Their return came in 2023 after a playoff victory. In 2023-24 they survived on 35 points (14th). In 2024-25 they found stability finishing 11th on 38 points.
This season represents a regression to those dark early days after promotion. The club’s story is one of hard earned top flight status won through years of patient rebuilding. Losing it now, in a season where they invested in foreign talent and appointed two managers, would be a significant setback to every structural ambition at Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.
What Must Happen for Survival
Al Riyadh’s survival is not just about their own results it depends on the teams immediately above them also dropping points. With the standings this tight in the bottom quarter, even one additional win from a rival could eliminate all mathematical hope.
The minimum scenario: three wins from three remaining games, combined with favourable results across the other relegation threatened fixtures. Anything less a draw, a further defeat and the arithmetic becomes almost impossible to navigate.
This is what Saudi Pro League relegation battles look like at their most brutal: small margins, exhausted squads, and the weight of an entire club’s ambitions carried into the final fortnight of the season.
For the full picture on Saudi Pro League standings and the race for survival, follow the Al Qadsiah title race coverage and the Al Ahli top spot update both give context on how the table is shaping up above the relegation zone.
How to Watch Al Riyadh’s Final Games
Saudi Arabia: SSC Sport (Saudi Sports Channel) all SPL matches broadcast live.
MENA region: beIN Sports covers the Saudi Pro League across the Middle East and North Africa.
International: SPL TV via spl.com.sa for streaming options outside MENA.
UK: Premier Sports holds SPL broadcast rights for British audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Al Riyadh SC relegated from the Saudi Pro League 2025-26?
Not yet. As of May 4, 2026, they sit 16th with 23 points and three games remaining. Survival requires wins and help from rivals.
Who is the manager of Al Riyadh SC?
Uruguayan coach Daniel Carreño, appointed November 14, 2025 following the sacking of Javier Calleja.
What are Al-Riyadh’s remaining 2025-26 fixtures?
Al-Fayha (A, May 4), Al-Fateh (H, May 10), Al-Taawoun (A, May 15), and Al-Akhdoud (H, May 21).
Who is Al Riyadh’s top scorer this season?
Mamadou Sylla leads with 7 goals from 24 SPL appearances in 2025-26.
Where does Al Riyadh play their home matches?
Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.