Lead:
The Saudi Professional League (Roshen) launched its new season on Thursday with three anticipated opening matches, maintaining momentum from a record-revenue year. Simultaneously, European club competitions reached significant milestones, while regional and international youth tournaments advanced their preparatory phases amid transfer activity across major clubs.
Top Stories:
Paris Saint-Germain — The French club won the European Super Cup for the second consecutive year, defeating English side Aston Villa 2–1 in the final match. The victory reinforces PSG's status as a dominant European force heading into the new domestic season.Saudi Professional League Season Launch — Roshen commenced its 66th edition on Thursday with three opening fixtures, featuring matchups between Al-Shabab versus Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Ahli versus Deriyah, and Abha versus Al-Hazm. The league has achieved 115 percent revenue growth and is targeting inclusion among the world's ten strongest leagues.Al-Hilal New Training Facility — Al-Hilal unveiled its new Almajidiah Sports Center at Princess Noura University in Riyadh as the official training ground for the club's first football team. The facility represents a significant infrastructure investment as the club pursues its competitive objectives this season.Chavi Hernandez Named Netherlands Coach — Spanish tactician Chavi Hernandez was appointed head coach of the Dutch national team, succeeding Ronald Koeman. He becomes the first Spanish coach to lead the Dutch national side.Al-Fayha Transfer Activity — Al-Fayha announced the signing of Slovak international Lucas Haraslin from Czech club Sparta Prague to strengthen the first team's attacking options ahead of the new season.Saudi U-20 National Team Preparation — The Saudi Arabian under-20 football team continues its preparatory camp in Qatar through August 28 in advance of the qualifying rounds for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup under-20 tournament.What to Watch:
Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, the reigning champion, remain the principal contenders for this season's Roshen title amid an openly competitive field. The Netherlands versus upcoming European qualifiers will determine whether Chavi Hernandez can successfully guide the Dutch back to championship contention following Ronald Koeman's tenure.