Ronaldo’s Riyadh match delayed by drone alerts as fans told to stay seated after deadly airport strikes

Drone warnings flashed on spectators’ phones moments before Al Nassr’s kickoff against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana, leaving players and referees waiting while stadium announcements urged fans to remain in their seats; the game went ahead despite fresh security fears in the Saudi capital

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr was preparing for another night of Asian Champions League football in Riyadh on Monday when an altogether different kind of alarm interrupted proceedings: warnings about drones and missile threats in the Saudi capital, delivered directly to the phones of spectators waiting for kickoff.

The match against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana at Al-Awwal Park was delayed as security alerts spread through the city, just days after deadly attacks on Riyadh’s international airport.