The start of 2026 has not been positive for either Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr or Manchester United. Each team, in its respective league, has produced disappointing results that have hurt their chances of meeting the goals initially set for the season. In that context, the two sides could cross paths during the March FIFA break.
According to The Sun, Manchester United are exploring the possibility of playing a mid-season friendly as a strategy to generate additional revenue amid a stretch of on-field struggles that have impacted the club’s finances. The Middle East has emerged as a viable option, particularly Saudi Arabia.
“They have held talks with the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, about visiting the region,” the report states, before pointing to a concrete possibility: “The Riyadh Season Cup – a three-way tournament against the capital’s two biggest clubs, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, which featured Inter Miami in February – could be an option.”
Indeed, that tournament has attracted major players and clubs in the recent past. In 2023, Paris Saint-Germain faced a combined Al Nassr and Al Hilal side in what remains the most recent matchup between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. One year later, Inter Miami were the invited team, although on that occasion the Argentine star played only one of the two matches due to fitness issues.
Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in 2022.
A potential reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo
The possibility of Manchester United traveling to Saudi Arabia during the March FIFA break to face Al Nassr opens the door to a reunion between the Red Devils and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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The Portuguese forward was the club’s biggest star during the 2000s, leading the team alongside Wayne Rooney to the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League title. However, his second stint in Manchester was far less successful and ended with a controversial early departure in the winter of 2022, when he joined Al Nassr. Now, under very different circumstances, a reunion between the two sides could take place.
Manchester United need to boost revenue
One of the main reasons Manchester United are interested in playing a friendly in the coming months is the decline in revenue caused by recent on-field failures , both domestically and in Europe.
To begin with, the club did not compete in any continental competition this year, a sharp contrast to the 2024–25 campaign, when they reached the UEFA Europa League final. On top of that, they were eliminated at the first hurdle of both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup this season, resulting in fewer matches and no prize money.
As a result, the Red Devils’ 2025–26 season will consist of just 40 matches — 38 in the Premier League, one in the Carabao Cup, and one in the FA Cup. According to The Sun, the last time the English giants played such a limited schedule was 111 years ago.
