A private jet linked to Cristiano Ronaldo departed Riyadh for Madrid overnight on Monday as the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran reached the Saudi capital directly, with two drones striking the United States Embassy compound and prompting a mass departure of foreign nationals from the region.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the Portuguese footballer’s Bombardier Global Express aircraft departing Riyadh at approximately 9pm local time and landing in Spain overnight after flying over Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. There has been no official confirmation from Ronaldo or his representatives regarding who was on board or the purpose of the flight.
The US Embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones early Tuesday morning, causing a limited fire and minor material damage to the building, according to the Saudi Defence Ministry. No injuries were reported. Earlier, the Embassy had issued a shelter-in-place notice for American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran.
Ronaldo, 39, lives in Riyadh with partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children while playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. He is currently sidelined with a muscle injury sustained in Al-Nassr’s recent league match, putting his availability for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in doubt.
The US State Department urged Americans to depart immediately from more than a dozen countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen, and Jordan. Brent crude oil futures jumped over 5 percent to $81.96 a barrel as markets assessed the risk of supply disruption, with Iran claiming to have closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.
The conflict has also disrupted football across the region. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced it was postponing all AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 first-leg matches in the West Region, originally scheduled for March 2 to 3, citing security concerns. Quarter-final matches in the AFC Champions League Two and AFC Challenge League involving West Region clubs were also suspended until further notice.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström said the governing body remains committed to having every qualified nation compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the escalating conflict. Iran was drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand for the tournament, which the US will co-host alongside Mexico and Canada.
