Al Ahli slams refereeing in Saudi Pro League, Ivan Toney alleges favouritism Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli said that it is dissatisfied with the refereeing decisions during its match against Al Fayha on April 8, while its forward Ivan Toney implied that the officials are favouring certain clubs.
In a statement on Thursday, the team said, “The referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team’s position in the title race.”
Toney scored to take the lead, and Fayha’s Jason equalised before Al Ahli had two penalty appeals for handball turned down by VAR. The result left the side in third place on the table with 66 points from 28 games, four adrift of leader Al Nassr, which has played a game less.
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“Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. Al-Ahli Club Company calls for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team’s players during the match. It also requests clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made,” it added.
Following the match, Toney vented out his feelings to Saudi media outlet Thmanyah, alleging that the fourth official told him to “focus on the Asian Champions League” instead of the league.
“I don’t know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: ‘Focus on the Asian Champions League.’ This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth,” he said.
“We know who (the decisions are helping). Who are we chasing? If decisions go our way, we have a good chance, but if they continue like this it will be tough,” Toney added.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
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Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli said that it is dissatisfied with the refereeing decisions during its match against Al Fayha on April 8, while its forward Ivan Toney implied that the officials are favouring certain clubs.
In a statement on Thursday, the team said, “The referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team’s position in the title race.”
Toney scored to take the lead, and Fayha’s Jason equalised before Al Ahli had two penalty appeals for handball turned down by VAR. The result left the side in third place on the table with 66 points from 28 games, four adrift of leader Al Nassr, which has played a game less.
ALSO READ | Messi’s Argentina to face Honduras, Iceland in World Cup warm-ups
“Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. Al-Ahli Club Company calls for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team’s players during the match. It also requests clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made,” it added.
Following the match, Toney vented out his feelings to Saudi media outlet Thmanyah, alleging that the fourth official told him to “focus on the Asian Champions League” instead of the league.
“I don’t know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: ‘Focus on the Asian Champions League.’ This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth,” he said.
“We know who (the decisions are helping). Who are we chasing? If decisions go our way, we have a good chance, but if they continue like this it will be tough,” Toney added.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
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