The higher education sector in Saudi Arabia is striving to meet stakeholders' rising expectations; therefore, strategic planning of universities is complex and multidimensional. The strategic planning is influenced by government initiatives, world university rankings, and market demand. University decision-makers are increasingly paying attention to world university rankings because of the focus on internationalization and competitiveness in higher education. This study uses a case study to examine the evolution of university strategic planning in Saudi Arabia, including changes in its structure and focus and the potential impact of rankings on university strategic planning. We discuss the development of strategic planning at two Saudi universities by analyzing their strategic plans. The findings show that strategic plans have shifted from being general with basic methodology and no clear orientation regarding rankings, to becoming more readable, focused, and interlinked, considerate of key performance indicators and context related to reliable methodology and catering to rankings.