Cristiano Ronaldo’s historic transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr has sparked unprecedented global interest in the Saudi Pro League. On January 22nd, 2023, the Portuguese great will play his first home match against mid-table side Al Shabab. With Ronaldo set to make his highly anticipated debut, this relatively insignificant league fixture will now attract viewership numbers comparable to European games. This guide describes several platforms that will broadcast the Al-Nassr vs. Al Shabab match live in various regions around the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, joins Al-Nassr after a storied career at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. His arrival marks the largest transfer in Asian football history. Understandably, Ronaldo’s debut on Saudi soil is history in the making, as it is the first time fans will see him in an Al-Nassr shirt, weaving his magic.
Broadcasters anticipate record television ratings in the Middle East, while the game is trending on social media around the world due to unprecedented intrigue. Tuning in to witness a truly historic event is an enticing prospect for global football fans, regardless of the relatively pedestrian opposition in Al Shabab. This guide explains where to watch the Al-Nassr vs. Al Shabab match in various regions.
Middle East Viewing Options
As the region with the most fanatical interest in Saudi football and Ronaldo’s debut, the Middle East, unsurprisingly, provides numerous broadcast options for watching the historic match. The match will be played at Mrsool Park in Riyadh on January 22nd at 8 p.m. local time.
The Saudi Sports Company has exclusive domestic rights in Saudi Arabia, with matches broadcast on their dedicated KSA Sports and GO Sports channels. Arabic commentary from experts who are intimately familiar with Al-Nassr promises to provide unique insights into Ronaldo’s fit with his new teammates. Most other Middle Eastern territories are served by the pan-Arab satellite giant beIN Sports, which has dedicated Channels 1 and 2 in English and Arabic respectively. To pique the interest of global viewers, beIN’s global pundits, such as Richard Keys, provide expert analysis of Ronaldo’s early steps in Saudi football.
Both platforms provide streaming options via websites and mobile apps for on-the-go access. To put it simply, Ronaldo’s much-anticipated debut faces no availability barriers in his new Middle Eastern home.
How to Watch in Europe
As the European club season approaches its halfway point, die-hard fans in England, Spain, Germany, and Italy remain devoted to their respective teams. However, the sheer gravitas of Cristiano Ronaldo taking the field in unfamiliar colors has resulted in general sports networks capitalizing on historic hype.
Channel Four, the United Kingdom’s free-to-air television network, will broadcast live coverage of Ronaldo’s monumental unveiling. England, Spain, and Germany all benefit from beIN Sports’ broadcasting rights to the Saudi Pro League. BeIN channels are available on cable networks such as Sky Deutschland and Canal+ Spain, as well as over-the-top streaming via dedicated beIN apps and portals. Expect insightful English and Spanish studio analysis of Ronaldo during the build-up and post-match coverage.
In Italy, where Ronaldo established himself as a football icon during two fruitful seasons with Juventus, IPTV provider LIVEnow broadcasts the game live to Italian fans. LIVEnow’s special guest pundits promise unique Italian perspectives on Saudi football, as they welcome one of their beloved heroes.
Regardless of where you are in football-crazed Europe, there are numerous viewing options for Ronaldo’s latest historical feat.
How to Watch in the Americas
The clash between Al-Nassr and Al Shabab on Sunday, January 22nd, begins at 2pm Eastern Standard Time. FuboTV has acquired broadcasting rights for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and will stream the match live on their popular platform.
In South America, legendary striker Hernan Crespo represents surprise guest punditry. Exaggerating the significance of Ronaldo’s Saudi arrival for Spanish-language audiences. Star+, a streaming service, provides full coverage of Crespo’s cameo with Spanish-language commentary in Argentina. Chile, Peru, Brazil, and Columbia, among other countries.
Football fans from all over the Americas can watch Ronaldo take his talents to the Middle East for the first time via FuboTV and Star+.
How to Catch the Action in Asia and Oceania?
On January 22nd, Saudi Arabia takes up a prime afternoon viewing time slot for Asian audiences. Star Hub offers mobile, cable TV, and over-the-top access to the match in Singapore. Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia via a dedicated beIN sports feed. Chinese streaming giant iQiyi broadcasts the game in Mainland China, with locally-fluent Mandarin studio analysis bookending the action. Meanwhile, cutting-edge Indian OTT platform Hotstar uses English beIN coverage to serve the densely populated Indian subcontinent.
Veteran broadcaster SKY Network broadcasts Al-Nassr vs Al Shabab on their beIN channel in neighboring Australia and New Zealand.
Across two continents, Asian and Oceanian platforms ensure that no interested fan misses Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut in Saudi Pro League football.
Watching Through Legal Online Streaming
While television viewing requires you to adhere to schedules beyond your control. Online streaming allows you to watch Ronaldo’s bow when it is most convenient for you.
Once again, the dependable beIN Connect platform provides official authenticated access across laptop, tablet. And mobile devices to subscribers in Saudi Arabia and the greater Middle East region. Monthly subscriptions are cost-effective for Ronaldo fans who want on-demand replay access to every magical CR7 moment.
European fans can watch all Saudi Pro League matches on the SHAHD Global portal. And OneFootball has selective streaming rights to Saudi games in Germany and Spain. OneFootball’s social-style match coverage promises real-time Ronaldo clip sharing to keep internet-savvy fans satisfied.
DAZN, the OTT giant, is offering the Al-Nassr vs. Al Shabab match not only in Japan and Canada. But also unexpectedly in Germany as part of their sizable football rights portfolio. DAZN’s premium on-demand platform caters to transient global fans who are more interested in stars such as Ronaldo than clubs or leagues.
Regardless of your location, multiple legal streaming services allow fans to access and bookmark the historic Ronaldo unveiling match in perpetuity.
Conclusion
The league match on January 22nd, in which Cristiano Ronaldo will most likely make his Al-Nassr debut against Al Shabab. Will break viewership records not only in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, but also globally across free-to-air TV. Cable channels, and OTT streaming platforms.
Rarely has a relatively minor league match had such international significance as this one. Because of CR7’s fame and allure throughout his glittering career. Seeing him take the field for the first time in a new kit after more than a decade has generational significance.
No matter where in the world diehard Ronaldo fans or general sports fans are. This guide provides multiple ways to watch the action live as it happens. Broadcasters in the Middle East and elsewhere have gone above and beyond to televise and stream the game. Anticipating the unprecedented number of viewers.
The Local Saudi Professional League’s increased visibility is a welcome boost in profile and credibility. Thanks to arguably football’s greatest global superstar. Tune in to witness the historic occasion!