Al Nassr will begin its Saudi King's Cup campaign against Diriyah on Tuesday, August 18, but Cristiano Ronaldo will not be involved. The forward has been left out of the squad for the Round of 32 clash at Al Awwal Park in Saudi Arabia, even after returning from the FIFA World Cup and training with the group.
That answer matters now because the match kicks off at 11:30 PM IST and fans in India will be looking for a clear update on whether Ronaldo plays. He will not, and there will be no live telecast in India. The match can be streamed live on the FanCode website and app with a subscription, which makes the squad decision especially relevant for viewers following the game remotely.
Al Nassr enters the cup tie with momentum after opening its Saudi Pro League defence with a 3-0 win over Al Fateh. But the cup is a different test, and the absence of its biggest name changes the shape of the night before a ball is kicked. Ronaldo had already returned and trained with the squad, so his omission is not about availability in the broad sense; it is about the matchday call that keeps him out of this one.
That leaves the immediate question on what comes next for Al Nassr in the Saudi King's Cup campaign. The side moves into a single-elimination Round of 32 clash without Ronaldo, and supporters will now watch to see whether he is restored for the next step if the team advances. For now, the headline is simple: Al Nassr begins its cup run at Al Awwal Park without Cristiano Ronaldo on the team sheet.
