Al-Taawoun Handed Two-Match Ban Over Jota Chants

Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been punished after some of their supporters chanted the name of the late Diogo Jota towards Al-Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee has ordered Al-Taawoun to play their next two home league matches behind closed doors and imposed a fine of 100,000 Saudi riyals.

The punishment follows an incident during Al-Taawoun’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Al-Hilal on September 12.

A section of the home supporters repeatedly chanted “Jota” towards Neves, who was a close friend and former teammate of the Portuguese forward at both Wolverhampton Wanderers and international level.

Neves was visibly affected by the chants and responded by pointing towards the sky.

Jota died alongside his brother, André Silva, in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. Neves was among those who carried Jota’s coffin at his funeral.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Saudi Pro League had already condemned the incident, stating that exploiting personal tragedies for abuse or provocation was unacceptable and had no place in Saudi football.

The disciplinary committee subsequently confirmed the punishment after determining that Al-Taawoun supporters had violated the federation’s disciplinary regulations.

The sanction also comes after Cristiano Ronaldo publicly called for lifetime stadium bans for supporters responsible for the chants.

Despite the controversy surrounding the incident, the match itself ended in a comprehensive 6–0 victory for Al-Hilal, with Neves providing an assist.

Al-Taawoun must now serve their two-match home stadium closure as the Saudi authorities impose a formal punishment following the incident.