The 2018–19 Saudi Pro League was the 44th edition of the top-tier Saudi football league, established in 1974, and the 11th edition since it was rebranded as the Saudi Pro League in 2008. the season started on 30 August 2018 and concluded on 16 May 2019.
Al-Hilal were the defending champions after winning the Pro League last season for the 15th time. Al-Wehda and Al-Hazem have entered as the promoted teams from the 2017–18 Prince Mohammad bin Salman League. Al-Nassr were crowned as league winners for the 8th time on 16 May, after defeating Al-Batin 2–1 on the final day of the season.
Ohod were the first team to be relegated after a 3–1 defeat to Al-Fayha on 12 April 2019. Al-Batin were the second team to be relegated following their 1–0 defeat to an already relegated Ohod. Al-Qadsiah were the third and final team to be relegated after a draw against Al-Hazem on the final day of the season.
Abderrazak Hamdallah from Al-Nassr was the top scorer with 34 goals, and was also named Player of the Season. Pedro Emanuel of Al-Taawoun won the Manager of the Season award.
Changes On 7 March 2018, the Saudi FF announced that the league would be increased from 14 teams to 16 teams. They also announced new rules limiting the club's squad size to 28 players.
Teams
Sixteen teams competed in the league – the top twelve teams from the previous season, the two play-off winners and two teams promoted from the 2017–18 Prince Mohammad bin Salman League.
Teams who were promoted to the Pro League
The first club to be promoted was Al-Wehda, following their 2–2 draw away to Al-Mujazzal on 11 April 2018. Al-Wehda will play in the top flight of Saudi football after a season absence. They were crowned champions on 18 April 2018 after beating Al-Khaleej 1–0 at home.
The second club to be promoted was Al-Hazem, following their 4–1 win at home against Al-Mujazzal on 18 April 2017, coupled with Al-Tai's defeat against Hajer. Al-Hazem will play in the top flight of Saudi football for the first time since 2010–11.
Teams who were relegated to the MS League
No teams were relegated to the Prince Mohammad bin Salman League. Due to an increase in the number of teams, the Saudi FF announced that the relegation was canceled and in its place was a relegation play-off. Both Pro League teams, Al-Raed and Ohod, won the playoffs and secured their top-flight status.
Stadiums Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium Capacity Al-Ahli Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City Al-Batin Hafar al-Batin Al-Batin Club Stadium Al-Ettifaq Dammam Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium Al-Faisaly Harmah King Salman Sport City Stadium Al-Fateh Al-Hasa Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Fayha Al Majma'ah King Salman Sport City Stadium Al-Hazem Ar Rass Al-Hazem Club Stadium Al-Hilal Riyadh King Saud University Stadium Al-Ittihad Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City Al-Nassr Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium Al-Qadsiah Khobar Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium Al-Raed Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium Al-Shabab Riyadh King Fahd International Stadium Al-Taawoun Buraidah King Abdullah Sport City Stadium Al-Wehda Mecca King Abdul Aziz Stadium Ohod Medina Prince Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Stadium 1: Al-Faisaly play their home games in Al-Majma'ah. 2: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Shabab also use Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium (22,500 seats) as a home stadium. 3: Al-Hilal also use King Fahd International Stadium (62,685 seats) as a home stadium.
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Al-Ahli Yousef Anbar (caretaker) Hussein Abdulghani Umbro Saudia, Almosafer1, BOGA3 Al-Batin Ciprian Panait Mohanna Waqes Givova Gree Electric, Al Asasyah1, Rayat Al Shalal Hotel1, Al-Maali Hospital2 Al-Ettifaq Hélder (caretaker) Filip Kiss Jako Almana General Hospital, Al-Majdouie Hyundai, Goodyear1, Yaumi1, Innosoft2, APSCO Mobil 12, Kanaf3 Al-Faisaly Al-Homaidy Al-Otaibi (caretaker) Omar Abdulaziz Adidas ALDREES, Roco, Al Riyadh Travel & Tourism1, Shmagh Albassam1, Al Wefaq2, Al Tazaj3 Al-Fateh Fathi Al-Jabal Mohammed Al-Fuhaid Offside Al Kifah1, AlMoosa Hospital1 Al-Fayha Noureddine Zekri Sami Al-Khaibari Skillano Shawarmer, The Fourth Triangle Al-Hazem Daniel Isăilă Khaled Al-Barakah ProIcon Cabrito, RAKAA Holding1 Al-Hilal Péricles Chamusca (caretaker) Salman Al-Faraj Nike Kingdom Holding Company, Abdul Samad Al Qurashi1, Sun & Sand Sports1, Jawwy from STC2, APSCO Mobil 12 Al-Ittihad José Luis Sierra Karim El Ahmadi Joma Noon, APSCO Mobil 12 Al-Nassr Rui Vitória Ibrahim Ghaleb Sporta Etihad Airways Al-Qadsiah Nacif Beyaoui Élton Arábia Offside Almana General Hospital, Al Yamama, Zamil Industrial, Tamimi Group1, Aljomaih Holding Company1, Al Hokair Group2, Al Wefaq2 Al-Raed Besnik Hasi Yahya Al-Musalem Erreà Naqi Water1 Al-Shabab Marius Șumudică Nasser Al-Shamrani Xtep Moya, Al Saif Gallery1, Boudl Hotels1, Al Wefaq2, Physio Trio3 Al-Taawoun Pedro Emanuel Jehad Al-Hussain Mafro Almosafer, Naqi Water1, Shmagh Albassam1, Al Wefaq2 Al-Wehda Juan Brown Osama Hawsawi Adidas Abdul Samad Al Qurashi1 Ohod Ammar Souayah Abdoh Besisi Erreà Mozn, Saudi German Hospital1, Al Tazaj3 1 On the back of the strip. 2 On the right sleeve of the strip. 3 On the shorts.
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate ofappointment Al-Ettifaq Saad Al-Shehri Signed by Saudi Arabia U23 13 April 2018Pre-season Leonardo Ramos 23 May 2018 Al-Nassr Krunoslav Jurčić End of contract 13 April 2018 José Daniel Carreño 14 April 2018 Al-Hilal Juan BrownInterim period ended 13 April 2018 Jorge Jesus 5 June 2018 Al-Qadsiah Bandar Basreh 13 April 2018 Aleksandar Stanojević 23 May 2018 Al-Shabab Khalid Al-Koroni 13 April 2018 Marius Șumudică 14 June 2018Al Shabab has signed with Mr. Marius #Sumudica as the first team head coach Al-Taawoun Resigned 2 May 2018 Pedro Emanuel 7 May 2018 Al-Faisaly Vuk Rašović Signed by Al Dhafra 3 May 2018 Mircea Rednic 2 July 2018 Ohod Sadio DembaEnd of contract 4 May 2018 Francisco Arce 9 June 2018 Al-Hazem Abdulwahab Al-Harbi 5 May 2018 Daniel Isăilă 8 June 2018 Al-Wehda Djamel Belkacem 5 May 2018 Fábio Carille 22 May 2018 Al-Ahli Fathi Al-Jabal End of caretaker spell 15 May 2018 Pablo Guede 15 May 2018 Al-Ittihad José Luis SierraEnd of contract 21 May 2018 Ramón Díaz 22 May 2018 Al-Batin Ciprian Panait 31 May 2018 Franky Vercauteren 26 July 2018 Al-Raed Aleksandar Ilić 31 May 2018 Besnik Hasi 26 July 2018 Al-Ittihad Ramón DíazSacked 15 September 201816th Slaven Bilić 27 September 2018 Al-Faisaly Mircea Rednic 8 October 201811th Péricles Chamusca 14 October 2018 Al-Fayha Gustavo Costas 15 October 201814th Slavoljub Muslin 15 October 2018 Al-Batin Franky Vercauteren 1 November 201814th Yousef Al-Ghadeer 10 November 2018 Al-Qadsiah Aleksandar Stanojević 4 November 201815th Ivaylo Petev 11 November 2018 Al-Nassr José Daniel Carreño 10 November 20182nd Rui Vitória 10 January 2019 Ohod Francisco Arce 23 November 201815th Paulo Alves 27 November 2018 Al-Ettifaq Leonardo Ramos 27 November 20187th Sergio Piernas 1 December 2018 Al-Wehda Fábio Carille Signed by Corinthians 13 December 20185th Mido 5 January 2019 Ohod Sacked 14 January 201916th Ammar Souayah 19 January 2019 Al-Hilal Jorge Jesus 30 January 20191st Zoran Mamić 30 January 2019 Al-Fayha Slavoljub Muslin 2 February 201914th Noureddine Zekri 5 February 2019 Al-Ahli Pablo Guede 5 February 20194th Jorge Fossati 8 February 2019 Al-Batin Yousef Al-Ghadeer Mutual consent 17 February 201913th Ciprian Panait 17 February 2019 Al-Ittihad Slaven BilićSacked 24 February 201915th José Luis Sierra 24 February 2019 Al-Qadsiah Ivaylo Petev 10 March 201911th Bandar Basreh 10 March 2019 Al-Wehda Mido 19 March 20196th Juan Brown 20 March 2019 Al-Ahli Jorge Fossati 17 April 20195th Yousef Anbar (caretaker) 17 April 2019 Al-Ettifaq Sergio Piernas 19 April 201910th Hélder (caretaker) 19 April 2019 Al-Qadsiah Bandar Basreh Mutual consent 22 April 201914th Nacif Beyaoui 22 April 2019 Al-Faisaly Péricles Chamusca Loaned to Al-Hilal 27 April 20196th Al-Homaidy Al-Otaibi (caretaker) 27 April 2019 Al-Hilal Zoran Mamić Sacked 27 April 20192nd Péricles Chamusca (caretaker) 27 April 2019
Foreign players The number of foreign players is limited to 7 per team. On June 7, 2018, the Saudi FF increased the number of foreign players from 7 to 8 players.
Players name in bold indicates the player was registered during the mid-season transfer window. Players name in italic indicates the player was de-registered or left their respective clubs during the mid-season transfer window.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Former players Al-Ahli Aderllan Djaniny Claudio Baeza Paulo Díaz Mohamed Abdel Shafy Nicolae Stanciu Omar Al Somah Souza Abdallah El Said Alexis José Manuel Jurado Al-Batin Osama Malik Adriano Facchini Baraka Cryzan Jhonnattann Lucas Tagliapietra Ismaël Bangoura Zied Ounalli João Gabriel Johan Arango Misael Riascos Aziz Bouhaddouz Al-Ettifaq Raïs M'Bolhi Cristian Guanca Hussein El Sayed Filip Kiss Ahmed Akaïchi Fakhreddine Ben Youssef Brahian Alemán Ramón Arias Farley Rosa Al-Faisaly Denílson Igor Rossi Luisinho Rogerinho Diego Calderón Ante Puljić Fahad Al Ansari Khaleem Hyland Joseph Akpala Al-Fateh Ibrahim Chenihi Mohamed Naâmani Nikita Korzun João Pedro Saša Jovanović Abdelkader Oueslati Maksym Koval Matías Aguirregaray Nzuzi Toko Alkhaly Bangoura Al-Fayha Iury Gegé Danilo Asprilla Alexandros Tziolis Amer Shafi Nahir Besara Amine Chermiti Rami Bedoui Jonathan Gómez Naldo Ronnie Fernández Cristian Bonilla John Jairo Ruiz Seidu Yahaya Al-Hazem Malik Asselah Alemão Muralha Rodolfo Jhon Pajoy Zurab Tsiskaridze Kennedy Igboananike Diogo Salomão Gilbert Álvarez Carlos Feraud Youssef Kalfa Al-Hilal Miloš Degenek Carlos Eduardo Bafétimbi Gomis Sebastian Giovinco Ali Al-Habsi André Carrillo Alberto Botía Jonathan Soriano Achraf Bencharki Omar Khribin Omar Abdulrahman Gelmin Rivas Al-Ittihad Jonas Romarinho Garry Rodrigues Carlos Villanueva Sékou Sanogo Karim El Ahmadi Manuel da Costa Aleksandar Prijović Matthew Jurman Marcelo Grohe Thiago Carleto Valdívia Aleksandar Pešić Al-Nassr Brad Jones Bruno Uvini Giuliano Maicon Petros Abderrazak Hamdallah Nordin Amrabat Ahmed Musa Christian Ramos Al-Qadsiah Mokhtar Belkhiter Jack Duncan Rhys Williams Bismark Élton Arábia Jou Silva Mohammed Fatau Youssef Kalfa Jorginho Yago Aboubakar Oumarou Hervé Guy Al-Raed Azzedine Doukha Hicham Belkaroui Ilombe Mboyo Daniel Amora Kanu Mohamed Atwa Ahmed Hammoudan Ferhan Hasani Yassine El Ghanassy Ismaël Bangoura Al-Shabab Djamel Benlamri Luiz Antônio Sebá Bubacarr Trawally Mbark Boussoufa Constantin Budescu Valerică Găman Farouk Ben Mustapha Arthur Caíke Euller Somália Al-Taawoun Cássio Nildo Petrolina Sandro Manoel Cédric Amissi Léandre Tawamba Héldon Ramos Ricardo Machado Jehad Al-Hussain Jhonnattann Al-Wehda Zidane Mebarakou Anselmo Marcos Guilherme Renato Chaves Kabongo Kasongo Mohamed Awad Issam Jebali Rómulo Otero Fernandão Emre Çolak Ohod Carl Medjani Adolphe Teikeu Mohamed Fouzair Moussa Maâzou Tamer Haj Mohamad Aymen Belaïd Ghazi Abderrazzak Ignatiy Nesterov Enes Sipović Apodi Bruno Michel Ribamar Ahmed Gomaa Moamen Zakaria Carlos Ohene Zouhair Laaroubi
League table
Positions by round The following table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve the chronological evolution, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled but added to the full round they were played immediately afterward. If a club from the Saudi Professional League wins the King Cup, they will qualify for the AFC Champions League, unless they have already qualified for it through their league position. In this case, an additional AFC Champions League group stage berth will be given to the 3rd placed team, and the AFC Champions League play-off round spot will be given to 4th.
Results
Season progress
Relegation play-offs