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.
Drone alerts rock Ronaldo's match in Riyadh as fans told to stay in stadium
(Photo: Fayez NURELDINE / AFP)
Instead of the usual anticipation before kickoff, some fans reacted with alarm as Saudi Arabia's national warning system sent notifications about unmanned aircraft to mobile phones.
Players from both teams, along with match officials, were held back from entering the field while the situation was assessed.
But despite the warnings, spectators were not instructed to evacuate.
Instead, stadium announcements sought to calm the crowd, telling fans there was no need to leave their seats and that organizers intended to proceed with the game later that evening.
The original kickoff had been scheduled for 9:15 p.m. local time. Following the delay, the players eventually emerged onto the pitch and the match got underway.
Soccer goes on as Riyadh reels from deadly attacks
The extraordinary scenes unfolded against the backdrop of escalating security threats in Saudi Arabia, where the capital's main airport has been targeted in successive attacks.
On Sunday, one person was killed and 11 others wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Saudi authorities have attributed the strikes to Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The attacks have heightened security concerns in the capital, making Monday's warnings especially alarming for spectators attending the international soccer fixture.
Nevertheless, the match went ahead after the brief disruption.
The result was a strikingly unusual sporting scene: an international soccer match involving one of the world's biggest stars proceeding in a city still dealing with deadly attacks, while supporters received drone warnings and were reassured over the stadium's loudspeakers that they could remain in the stands.
For Al Nassr and its visitors, the second round of the Asian Champions League began later than planned. For the fans in Riyadh, the buildup to kickoff had become a reminder of the security threats unfolding far beyond the soccer pitch.