Al-Qadisiyah Saudi to follow up his debut against Al-Ittihad today
Al-Qadsiah, the ambitious side, is looking to build on their strong start and overcome their guests, Al-Ittihad, today in the second round of the Saudi League. Meanwhile, the defending champions, Al-Nassr, are seeking a second victory when they face Al-Riyadh.
Al-Qadsiah enters their match against Al-Ittihad with hopes of securing their third consecutive win against their opponents, especially after a shocking 5-1 victory in their previous encounter away from home. The team, managed by Northern Irish coach Brendan Rodgers, who will participate in the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time in the club’s history, began this season with an away win against Al-Shabab 3-1, followed by a dominant 5-0 cup victory over Al-Taawoun.
The squad, led by Mexican striker Julian Quinones and Italian forward Matteo Retegui, appears to be in excellent shape. This impression was reinforced by the announcement of the signing of Dutch midfielder Tijn Rinders from Manchester City until 2031, confirming the club’s determination to continue challenging the top teams this season. Reports indicate that the transfer fee for the 28-year-old Rinders, who represented his national team at the 2026 World Cup, amounted to 61 million euros ($71 million).
On the other hand, Al-Ittihad’s start has not gone as planned for their fans. They drew 1-1 at home against Al-Kholood but managed a 3-0 cup win over Al-Najma.
Meanwhile, Al-Nassr aims to continue their strong defense of the title against hosts Al-Riyadh today, despite the continued absence of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo due to a lack of fitness.
Although Al-Riyadh lost their first match to Al-Ettifaq 2-4, they showed a good level of performance and secured a 2-0 cup victory over Al-Zulfi.
For his part, Al-Ahli, the Asian champions in the last two seasons, hopes to continue their successful run in terms of results, even if not as convincingly as their rivals, when they face guests Abha tomorrow.
In a separate development, the Saudi Ministry of Sport announced the day before yesterday that it has “begun transferring ownership of shares in non-profit institutions, which represent 25% of the shares of the four club companies (Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr), to the Public Investment Fund, and dissolving the boards of directors of those institutions,” after completing the necessary regulatory procedures.
The statement issued by the Ministry of Sport also noted: “This step represents the second phase of the ownership transfer process for the four clubs.” This move comes “as part of completing the transition toward an ownership model that enhances their investment appeal, consolidates the foundations of corporate governance, and supports their sustainability and long-term growth, in line with the objectives of the Clubs Investment and Privatization Project.”
