Ellie Watkins, wife of England forward Ollie Watkins, has returned to Britain with their children after Houthi missile attacks in Saudi Arabia. She left with daughter Amara, 5, and son Marley, 3, as tensions between the Yemen-based Houthis and Saudi forces intensified again.
Watkins moved from Aston Villa to Al-Hilal in a switch believed to be worth £20 million a year, tax-free. There is no indication he will head back to the UK soon unless he receives an England call-up for the forthcoming international break. He has begun the campaign with five goals and five assists in eight Saudi Pro League matches. Thomas Tuchel gave Ivan Toney a place in last summer's World Cup squad after Toney's move to Al-Ahli.
In October, 13 people died in a Houthi airstrike targeting Riyadh's airport. Two more people were killed in a separate assault on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Saudi authorities have since scaled back airport operations after the missile strikes.
Speaking on TikTok, Ellie Watkins said: "We've had a bit of a plot twist. I have come back to the UK for, hopefully, a little bit." She added: "I don't actually know when. There's just a little bit of conflict and things going on over in Saudi and we basically decided just to stay here until it calms down. I felt like I needed to do that for the kids so there is some form of normality until we can get back out there and all be together."
For Watkins' club, it is business as usual. Regional instability has delayed the Asian Cup, which Saudi Arabia was due to stage from 7 January to 5 February. The tournament has been moved to 23 December 2027 through 21 January 2028. The Asian Football Confederation said its organising committee approved the change "in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions." The new dates will be presented to FIFA, and the confederation said the postponement was necessary in the interest of teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.
Saudi Arabia has also cancelled the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition. Formula 1 is anticipated to relocate its season-ending races, scheduled for Qatar and Abu Dhabi, though official confirmation has not been announced.