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

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Saudi Professional League have launched investigations into offensive chants directed at late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota during a recent match between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal. The governing bodies have vowed stern disciplinary action against those responsible for the behavior, which they deemed "unacceptable" and against the values of Saudi football and sportsmanship.

The incident occurred during a Saudi Professional League match where Jota's personal tragedy was exploited to provoke and incite others. SAFF has initiated disciplinary proceedings in accordance with their established regulations, following the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. The late Portuguese international Ruben Neves, who was a pallbearer at Jota's funeral, expressed his anger towards the fans who engaged in the disrespectful behavior, urging them not to return to the stadium.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo also condemned the incident on social media, emphasizing that the league must punish such fan behavior and prevent the perpetrators from entering stadiums in the future.