PANAJI: It’s official. Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be playing in Goa. Al-Nassr touched down in the state last night ahead of their AFC Champions League 2 clash with FC Goa tomorrow at Fatorda, but the Portuguese superstar isn’t part of the travelling squad.
Instead, stars like Sadio Mané, João Félix, and Iñigo Martínez headline the Saudi side that’s already in town, setting the stage for a high-voltage fixture even without their biggest name.
For football fans across Goa and India, it’s a gut punch. Ever since FC Goa were drawn against Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in Group D, hopes of seeing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner play on Goan soil had skyrocketed. Those dreams have now been dashed, reportedly, despite multiple requests from FC Goa, the club confirmed that Ronaldo would skip the India leg.
At the Goa Football Association Awards Night last week, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant summed up the excitement surrounding the possible visit of the global icon. “The news about Cristiano Ronaldo’s possibility of visiting Goa has created huge excitement among football fans, not only in Goa but across India. His visit would have been a moment of great pride for the state and would inspire thousands of young players,” Sawant said, calling it a “celebration of passion, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.”
FC Goa had earlier qualified for the AFC Champions League 2 after beating former AFC Cup winners Al Seeb, and were drawn alongside Al-Nassr in Group D.
With massive crowds expected for the Wednesday fixture, FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur announced an elaborate set of matchday instructions and security measures in coordination with local authorities.
“We’ve worked closely with the police, traffic department, and other agencies to ensure everything runs smoothly,” Puskur said. “This is one of the biggest matches ever hosted at Fatorda, and we want fans to enjoy it safely and without inconvenience. From parking arrangements to frisking and medical support, every detail has been planned carefully.”
He said that six entry gates will be operational instead of the usual two, Gate 1 for VVIPs and VIPs, Gate 4 for media and West Upper Stand, Gate 5 for North Upper and Lower, Gate 6 for East Lower, and Gate 8 for East Upper, South Upper and Lower, and West Lower.
Parking zones have been designated at the We For Fatorda ground, Don Bosco parking, SGPDA lot, SAG Joggers Park, Swimming Pool ground, and Ravindra Bhavan. Media parking will be at Fatorda Church, VIP parking opposite Gates 4 and 5 with valid passes, and VVIP parking will be provided inside the stadium. “We’ve worked to make parking smoother by opening up multiple lots around the venue and coordinating with traffic police to avoid bottlenecks,” he said.
A detailed traffic plan with road closures and diversions will be published on matchday through local newspapers and FC Goa’s social media handles.
Spectators have been strictly advised not to carry items such as power banks, cigarettes, lighters, selfie sticks, coins, tin cans, musical instruments, sharp objects, bags, glass bottles, umbrellas, helmets, alcohol, outside food, DSLR cameras, fireworks, and vapes.
Medical arrangements have also been scaled up. Two medical kiosks will be placed in the North and South Stands, a medical room in the East Stand, and five ambulances including two from the Directorate of Health Services, two motorcycle ambulances, and one private ambulance, will be on standby. The nearest hospitals are South Goa District Hospital and Victor Hospital in Margao.
For crowd management, Puskur said that security presence at the stadium has been increased severalfold. “We’ll have around 650 police personnel managing law and order, 130 handling traffic, 65 auxiliary staff, and 230 private security guards,” he said. Watchtowers have been installed near Gates 5, 6, and 8 to monitor crowd movement, and CCTV cameras have been set up across all gates and stands. A detailed evacuation plan will also be shared on FC Goa’s official pages.
Public address systems have been placed near key gates, and signage has been installed throughout the venue to help spectators navigate easily. “Fans must carry a physical entry ticket; no e-tickets or mobile screenshots will be accepted,” Puskur reminded. “There will be soft ticket checks by BookMyShow volunteers, followed by frisking by private and police security before ticket validation.”
He concluded by emphasizing that this is an official AFC competition, not an exhibition match. “FC Goa has no control over player participation. We were informed by Al-Nassr that Cristiano Ronaldo’s appearance is highly unlikely, and we’ve planned security accordingly,” he said. “Our priority is ensuring a safe, enjoyable experience for every fan who comes to Fatorda.”
