Fixtures of round 1-13 given tentative dates, matchdays 14, 15 to be confirmed RIYADH: The schedule for the first round of matches of the 2021-22 Saudi Professional League (SPL) has been released with the campaign kicking off with a clash between Al-Ittihad and Al-Fayha on Wednesday, Aug. 11. However, SPL officials announced that while the first 13 rounds have been given tentative dates, rounds 14 and 15 will not be confirmed until the schedule of matches of the 2021-22 King’s Cup have been revealed. The first major confrontation of the season will come in round five when Al-Nassr hosts Al-Ittihad on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Mrsool Park Stadium in Riyadh, and that will be followed by several derbies until the season’s halfway point. In the sixth round, Al-Shabab will play Al-Hilal at King Fahd International Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 23, while the following round of fixtures will witness the Jeddah derby between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahly on Saturday, Oct. 2. Matchday 8 will see one of the biggest matches of the season as champions Al-Hilal meets Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 17. Al-Ittihad will host Al-Shabab at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Friday, Oct. 22, and the following round will see Al-Ahly take on Al-Hilal at the same stadium (Oct. 29). Round 11 sees Al-Shabab host Al-Nassr at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on Monday, Nov. 15, while the Saudi Clasico between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad takes place at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on Sunday, Nov. 21, the highlight of stage 12. Matchday 13 big games include Al-Nassr traveling to Jeddah to meet Al-Ahli on a Friday. The SPL also clarified that should the Saudi clubs still participating in the 2021 AFC Champions League qualify for the quarterfinals, their matches in the eighth round will be postponed, and in the scenario of one of them reaching the final, a 12th-round fixture would also be rescheduled.