An Austrian refereeing team has been appointed to oversee the upcoming Riyadh derby between Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Referees Committee announced Friday. The match, a Roshn Professional League fixture, will be held at the SHG Arena.
Sebastian Gishamer will serve as the main referee, supported by his fellow countrymen, assistant referees Santino Schreiner and Alexander Borutski. Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi official, has been designated as the fourth official. Alan Kias will lead the video assistant referee (VAR) team, with Walter Altman serving as his assistant.
The highly anticipated match is scheduled to kick off at 10:00 PM Saudi time, equivalent to 11:00 PM UAE time. Al-Hilal currently holds third place in the Saudi League standings with 55 points, having secured 16 wins and 7 draws. Al-Shabab occupies twelfth position with 25 points, registering 6 wins, 7 draws, and 10 losses.
The appointment of foreign referees for this high-profile match comes amid recent scrutiny of officiating in the Saudi Pro League. Earlier this week, Cristiano Ronaldo received a one-match suspension following an obscene gesture made during a match, a decision that sparked considerable debate. Reports indicate Ronaldo also faces the possibility of a heavier ban following the incident.
Al-Hilal recently bolstered their squad with an emergency loan signing, bringing in Abderrazak Hamdallah for the Club World Cup. The move aims to strengthen their attacking options during the tournament.
