Al Taawoun Fined 100,000 Riyal for Mocking Diogo Jota's Death

Al Taawoun have been hit with a 100,000 riyal fine and ordered to play their next two league games behind closed doors after sections of their support mocked the death of Portugal forward Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League clash with Al Hilal.

The incident unfolded on Saturday, September 12, as Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves stood over a free kick at Al Taawoun’s ground. From the stands, a chant cut through the noise: “Jota! Jota! Jota!” aimed directly at the Portugal international.

Neves heard it. He stopped, turned, and responded with slow, sarcastic applause and a thumbs up. Then he pointed to the sky, before gesturing back toward the fans – a clear acknowledgement of both the insult and the memory of his late friend.

Neves and Jota shared dressing rooms at Porto, Wolves and with the Portugal national team. Their bond went far beyond the pitch; Neves served as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral.

The reaction from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation was swift and uncompromising.

In a joint statement, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Saudi Professional League “condemn[ed] the unacceptable behavior exhibited by some fans during the Al-Taawoun vs. Al-Hilal match in the seventh round of the Saudi Professional League,” calling it “contrary to the values of Saudi football and sportsmanship.”

They added a blunt warning: “Exploiting personal tragedies to incite or provoke is unacceptable and has no place in Saudi football.”

The punishment followed: a 100,000 riyal fine for Al Taawoun and an order that the club’s next two league fixtures be played behind closed doors, stripping the team of home support in the stands.

The incident also drew a furious response from one of the biggest names in the league – and in world football. Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo, who played alongside both Neves and Jota for Portugal, weighed in on Instagram after footage of the chants spread across social media.

“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior,” Ronaldo wrote. “This is no longer football, and there have to be limits. People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again.”

Al Taawoun, under heavy scrutiny, moved to distance the club from the chants.

“Such behavior is completely unacceptable and does not represent Al Taawoun Club, its fans, or the values for which the club's stands are known,” the club said in a statement, stressing that “sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone's feelings.”

A line has been drawn. The question now is whether this sanction, and the public stance from some of the league’s biggest figures, will be enough to stop tragedy from being turned into a weapon from the terraces again.