The Saudi Pro League has been transformed in recent months due to an influx of major signings, with Neymar's move to Al Hilal the 2023 headline act.
After failing to land the Brazilian's former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe, the club launched a second raid on the Parc des Princes to secure the 31-year-old Brazil star.
The move to bring Neymar to the Middle East marks another key benchmark for the Saudi Pro League. He still holds the title of the most expensive football transfer following his 2017 switch from Barcelona to PSG and is now Brazil's all-time record goalscorer.
However, despite the fanfare surrounding his move, injuries delayed Neymar's start to life in Saudi Arabia, before he made his debut in the division. The Sporting News looks at the latest updates on his fitness ahead of today's match between Al Hilal and Al Shabab.
MORE: All Saudi transfers involving big-name players: List of stars to move to Pro League
Is Neymar playing today vs Al Shabab?
Neymar made his Al Hilal debut in the 6-1 Saudi Pro League derby win over Al Riyadh on September 15 with a late cameo off the bench in the Saudi Arabian capital.
He made a first club start in the 1-1 AFC Champions League draw at home to Navbahor three days later, and completed 90 minutes, doing the same against Damac on September 18, with another full game completed, but he is yet to score for his new team.
Jorge Jesus rested him for the midweek King Cup win over Al Jabalain with Neymar rejecting rumours of a feud between himself and the manager.
He completed another full 90 minutes in Al Hilal's 2-0 home win over Al Shabab, with an assist for Kalidiou Koulibaly's opening goal, but he missed the chance to open his Saudi Pro League goal account after his first half penalty was saved.
Neymar transfer fee: How much did Al Hilal pay?
As Neymar's relationship at PSG started to deteriorate, the Ligue 1 champions became more open to sale ahead of the 2023/24 season, with Saudi Arabia his only realistic option.
Following the Mbappe saga, Al Hilal's offer of €90 million ($98.3m/£77.6m) was accepted by PSG on August 14 as part of quickfire negotiations.
As per reports from CBS Sports, Al Hilal agreed a two-year contract with Neymar featuring a $219m salary.
What time does Al Hilal vs Al Shabab start?
This Saudi Pro League match at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium kicks off on Friday, September 29 at 9:00 p.m. local time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Fri, Sept. 29 | 3 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Fri, Sept. 29 | 3 p.m. ET |
| UK | Fri, Sept. 29 | 7 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Sat, Sept. 30 | 4 a.m. AEST |
| India | Fri, Sept. 29 | 11:30 p.m. IST |
| Hong Kong | Sat, Sept. 30 | 2 a.m. HKT |
| Malaysia | Sat, Sept. 30 | 2 a.m. MYT |
| Singapore | Sat, Sept. 30 | 2 a.m. SGT |
| New Zealand | Sat, Sept. 30 | 6 a.m. NZST |
MORE: How to watch Saudi Pro League in USA | How to watch in UK
Al Hilal vs Al Shabab live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Fox Deportes | Fubo, Fox Sports App |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | — | DAZN |
| Australia | — | 10 Play |
| India | Sony TEN 5 | Sony LIV, JioTV |
| Hong Kong | — | SPOTV |
| Malaysia | — | SPOTV |
| Singapore | — | SPOTV |
