Cristiano Ronaldo v Karim Benzema clash set as 2023/24 Saudi Pro League fixtures confirmed

Former Real Madrid teammates only two of the marquee names to star in next season's Saudi top flight

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr will be aiming for better results in the 2023/24 season. Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will have to wait until December to face off for the first time in the Saudi Pro League after the 2023/24 fixtures were released on Saturday.

The former Real Madrid teammates, who represent Al Nassr and Al Ittihad respectively, will meet on the pitch during Round 17 of the new campaign, at the latter's King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The match will fall between December 14-16.

However, champions Ittihad have to contest the 2023 Fifa Club World Cup, which also takes place in their home city. That runs from December 12-22.

Intriguingly, Ittihad and Nassr, the top two teams last season, meet again on the campaign's final day on May 27. The 2023/24 season kicks off on August 11, with Roberto Firmino's new side Al Ahli hosting hosting Al Hazem.

Elsewhere, Steven Gerrard will begin his managerial reign at Al Ettifaq on August 14 with a testing home tie against Ronaldo's Nassr, while Ittihad kick-start the defence of their crown on the same day away to Al Raed.

Last season, Ittihad pipped Nassr to the Pro League title by five points. They have since signed reigning Ballon d’Or winner Benzema, 2018 World Cup winner N’Golo Kante and Portuguese winger Jota from Celtic, while they are expected to complete a deal in the coming days for Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.

Ittihad are believed to have bid $52 million for the Brazil international.

Meanwhile, record 18-time Saudi champions Al Hilal will put their impressive batch of new signings to the test for the first time in the top flight away to Abha. That match also takes place on August 14.

Hilal, who last season finished a distant third while also being beaten in the final of both the Fifa Club World Cup and Asian Champions League, have already recruited Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

The Riyadh side are also in the market for a striker, with offers reportedly made to Fulham’s Aleksander Mitrovic and Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku.

The 2023/24 Pro League season will break between Rounds 19 and 20 to accommodate the rescheduled 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar.