Al Ahli SC

Foundation and early years

Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club was founded in 1937 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The idea of establishing the club came from a group of students from Al-Falah School, who sought to create a sporting institution that would represent the city and promote organized football activities.

In its early years, Al-Ahli participated in regional competitions in the Western Province, gradually building its reputation as one of the strongest teams in Jeddah. The club played a key role in the development of organized football in Saudi Arabia before the establishment of national league competitions.

On 2 July 2025, Al Ahli Saudi FC unveiled their new logo. Changed due to a Saudi law preventing the display of the national emblem, two swords over a palm tree for commercial purposes.

1950s: Growth and domestic prominence

During the 1950s, Al-Ahli began achieving significant success in domestic tournaments. The club won its first major title, the Crown Prince Cup, in the 1956–57 season, marking the beginning of its emergence as a competitive force in Saudi football. Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Al-Ahli consistently competed for national honors and contributed players to the Saudi national team.

The club became known for its technical style of play and its focus on youth development, establishing a strong foundation that would later define one of the most successful periods in its history.

1960s and 1970s: Golden era

Al-Ahli won 7 Saudi League titles, five of them being consecutive league titles without a single defeat, 4 King Cup and one Crown Prince Cup, establishing itself as the strongest club across Saudi Arabia. These titles were later officially recognized, contributing to Al-Ahli's current record of nine league titles.

The team was led by players such as Abdulrazzaq Abu Dawood, Amin Dabo, and Ahmed Eid.

In the 1977–78 season, Al‑Ahli won a domestic double, claiming their first unified Saudi Premier League title alongside the King Cup. The Brazilian coach Didi managed Al‑Ahli from 1977 to 1981, guiding the team to these historic victories, including the league championship in 1978 and the King Cup in 1978.

1980s: Era of Glory and Maradona appearance

In the 1983–84 season, the former Brazilian coach Telê Santana led Al-Ahli from 1983 to 1985, winning two major titles: the Saudi League in 1984 and the King Cup in 1983. Later, Al-Ahli also achieved success by winning the Gulf Club Champions League in 1985.

In 1987, during Al-Ahli 50th anniversary, Diego Maradona made an appearance for Al-Ahli. The Argentine footballer wore an Al-Ahli jersey and participated in the celebratory match held in Jeddah.

1990s: Competitive but Runner-ups

In the 1990s, Al‑Ahli continued to be one of Saudi Arabia’s most competitive clubs, frequently finishing near the top of the Saudi Pro League but narrowly missing out on the championship. They were league runners‑up several times in this decade, including in 1989‑90, 1995‑96, and 1998‑99, demonstrating consistent strength in domestic competition. The club’s major success in this period came in knockout football, particularly with their Crown Prince Cup triumph in 1998, when they lifted the trophy in an exciting final, adding an important domestic silverware to their history.

2000s: Regional Glory Era

in the 2000s though the Saudi league title still remained out of reach. They recorded strong finishes in the Saudi Pro League and enjoyed success in cup competitions, most notably winning the Crown Prince Cup in 2002 and 2007. In addition to cup glory, the club captured multiple Saudi Federation Cup titles (such as in 2001, 2002, and 2007), reinforcing their knack for knockout competition. Regionally, Al‑Ahli also captured the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2002 and the Gulf Club Champions League in 2002 and 2008 during this decade, adding international silverware to their trophy cabinet and further enhancing their reputation beyond Saudi borders.

2010s: Historic treble

The 2010s marked a resurgence and arguably one of the most successful decades in Al‑Ahli’s modern history. The early part of the decade saw the club as league contenders, finishing as runners‑up in the 2011–12 Saudi Pro League and again in 2014–15 Saudi Pro League

. Al‑Ahli captured the King’s Cup twice during this period, securing back‑to‑back titles in 2011 and 2012. The club capped this pre‑treble era by winning the 2014–15 Saudi Crown Prince Cup in the season, their sixth overall in the competition, when they defeated Al-Hilal 2–1 in the final.

During this era, the club also set a league record with a 51‑match unbeaten streak in the Saudi Pro League and reaffirmed themselves as one of the country’s top football forces.

After 32 years of near‑misses, they finally won the Saudi Pro League the club secured a historic treble under the management of Swiss coach Christian Gross by winning the 2015–16 Saudi Pro League Al-Ahli earned the league title two rounds before the end, after a 3–1 victory against rivals Al-Hilal at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. Syrian striker Omar Al Somah scored two goals.

Al-Ahli captured the 2016 King Cup, defeating Al-Nassr 2–1 in the final, with Al-Somah once again scoring. Later that year, Al-Ahli completed the treble by winning the 2016 Saudi Super Cup, held in London at Craven Cottage (the home stadium of Fulham FC), after defeating Al-Hilal on penalties following a 1–1 draw.

Al-Ahli vs FC Barcelona friendly match (2016)

On 13 December 2016, Al-Ahli played a friendly match against FC Barcelona at the Thani bin Jassim Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The match was part of the "Champions Match" organized by Qatar Airways, which was the official sponsor of both clubs at the time

Barcelona won the match 5–3, with goals scored by Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suárez, Paco Alcácer, and Rafinha.