Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play their next two home matches behind closed doors following chants involving the late Diogo Jota during their league meeting with Al-Hilal and also fined 100,000 ($26,640) the club after supporters who they couldn’t control chanted the name of late Portuguese forward Diogo Jota towards Rúben Neves
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Discipline and Ethics Committee announced the punishment after sections of Al-Taawoun supporters chanted Jota’s name towards Al-Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves.
Neves was a close friend and former teammate of Jota, who died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025 alongside his younger brother, André Silva.
The incident occurred during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun, with footage showing sections of the home crowd repeatedly chanting Jota’s name towards Neves.
The Portuguese midfielder reacted during the match by pointing towards his eye and then towards the sky. He later expressed his disappointment over the incident.
The punishment means Al-Taawoun will have to play their next two home fixtures without supporters inside the stadium, while the club must also pay the financial penalty imposed by the disciplinary committee.
Cristiano Ronaldo the captain and former team mate of late Diogo Jota who died last year in an auto crash in Spain had made a call to the Saudi football federation to trace and sanctioned all those involved in the act
