Saudi club Al-Hilal terminates contract with Karim Benzema by mutual agreement

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal has terminated its contract with French striker Karim Benzema by mutual agreement, ending the player's stay roughly six months after he joined from Jeddah-based Al-Ittihad on February 2, 2026. Sources close to Benzema said the forward is leaning toward retiring from football following his departure from Al-Hilal, and that he rejected an approach from Al-Shabab despite the club's efforts to reach a transfer deal. The two sides agreed to part ways after three days of intensive negotiations, with sources noting that Benzema had wanted to remain at the club but the process ended in termination. Benzema was earning $25 million annually under his direct contract with Al-Hilal, with outstanding payments of approximately $20.8 million between September 2025 and June 2027. He also held a separate $23 million-a-year agreement running until 2030 with the Saudi Professional League Association covering football promotional activities, which the sources said was not affected by the termination of his club contract. Since the 2024 season, Benzema scored 48 goals in 76 league appearances for Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal, concluding a roughly six-month spell in Riyadh.