Known for hosting landmark sporting and entertainment events since 2019, the Riyadh Season started to hold the soccer tournament Riyadh Season Cup in 2022. During the inaugural edition and the second one, the tournament hosted a single winner-takes-all match. However, the Riyadh Season Cup 2024 will be an amped-up version, where domestic sides Al Hilal and Al Nassr will compete with MLS' Inter Miami in a single-round robin group. The club that tops the table in the group will take home this year's Riyadh Season Cup.

The current edition of the Riyadh Season kick-started with a Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou fight. Soon, the Anthony Josua-Otto Walliin fight, dubbed 'The Day of Reckoning', became the state-funded event's major attraction. But it will be the Riyadh Season Cup that will arguably host the most coveted clash in the recent sporting lore. In a match dubbed 'The Last Dance,' Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head perhaps for the last time in their storied careers.

Riyadh Season Cup: key dates and venues

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will kick-start this year's Riyadh Season Cup by playing against Al Hilal on January 29, Monday at the Kingdom Arena in the Saudi Arabian capital. Al Hilal will unfortunately miss Neymar's services because of his prolonged recovery from a cruciate ligament tear. Had the Brazilian been available, the tournament could have brought together the sport's classic triumvirate; Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar.

The most coveted 'Last Dance' that features Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will take place on February 01, Thursday at the Kingdom Arena.

With this match, Inter Miami's run in the Riyadh Season Cup will come to an end. Ronaldo's Al Nassr, on the other hand, will play against their same-city-rival Al Hilal on February 08, at the same venue. The Riyadh derby will be decisive in the outcome of the tournament. Anyhow, it is surprising to note that no Saudi club has won the Riyadh Season Cup before, despite being the hosts. Let's see who won the prize earlier.

Past winners and cash prize

Though the Riyadh Season Cup is making news for bringing Messi and Ronaldo together, this is not the first time it has done so. In 2023, Messi's PSG faced a combined XI of Al Nassr and Al Hilal players, captained by Ronaldo. Then, the Riyadhi powerhouses crumbled against PSG's might. And the Parisians took home $10 million in cash prizes.

This year's prize money is yet to be announced. The first edition of the Riyadh Season Cup also saw the same outcome. PSG came to Riyadh as guests and defeated Al Hilal to take home the shield and cash prizes.

Therefore, with his upcoming Inter Miami appearance, Lionel Messi is featuring in the Riyadh Season Cup for the third time. Having won on the first two occasions, he will be looking to grab a third, that too, by defeating his generational rival, whereas Ronaldo will make the best of his opportunity for payback.

Meanwhile, despite missing Neymar, Al Hilal has emerged as the true heavyweights, topping the Saudi League table without a loss. Hence, the upcoming Riyadh Season Cup is one great gala that, all soccer fans are looking forward to.