Ronaldo s attractiveness declines: Riyadh victory attendance drops by nearly 10%

Although he has Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the average number of viewers at home in Riyadh won this season is 16,292, lower than the number of viewers in the three seasons that have won the championship. Ronaldo's popularity in Riyadh seems to have seen a significant decline in popularity. In the first two seasons of joining the Saudi League, the team averaged 17,638 and 17,821 players at home. But attendance has dropped by nearly 10% this season, only 65% ​​of the stadium. In the last home game of the season, the number of spectators dropped to about 6,000, just 24% of the stadium capacity. Ronaldo's contract expires in June 2025, and this game may be his last victory in Riyadh.

According to SSC Sports, Riyadh Victory won the highest attendance rate in the three seasons of winning the championship (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2018-19), with an average of 16,408 viewers per game, higher than this season's data.

, Riyadh ranked fourth in the number of viewers per game this season, second only to Jeddah United (34,960), Jeddah Nationals (20,825) and Riyadh Crescent (17,766). But the three clubs have larger stadiums, among which the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium shared by Jeddah United and Jeddah Nationals can accommodate 62,000 people. The victory of Riyadh is the only club among the four Saudi giants this season to have no championships. The team's poor performance is considered the main reason for the decline in fans' interest.

In contrast, Ronaldo's opponent Messi still has a huge impact in the United States. Miami International can accommodate 21,550 people at home, and the average number of viewers per game this season is 20,663, with an attendance rate of 96%. Before Messi arrived, Miami tickets could only be sold 58%. Since 2024, the fares for the cheapest seats have soared from $25 to $280.