KSAsportz report
RIYADH — In a surprising turn of events, the appeals committee of the Saudi Football Federation has reversed a previous disciplinary ruling against Al Hilal but has upheld significant sanctions that might prevent the club from competing in next season’s King’s Cup.
This decision was announced less than an hour before the anticipated Saudi Super Cup final between Al Nassr and Al Ahli in Hong Kong. The committee ruled that Al Hilal’s withdrawal from this year’s competition resulted in a forfeiture of their semifinal match against Al Qadsiah, which they lost with a scoreline of 3-0.
As it stands, Al Hilal is now under pressure to secure a qualifying spot for the 2026 Saudi Super Cup. Recent statistics show that only 50% of clubs securing a spot in the Super Cup have transitioned to the King’s Cup without facing sanctions. Failure to qualify could result in a suspension extending to the prestigious King’s Cup, potentially banning the nine-time Pro League champions from this premier domestic event.
The appeals committee clarified that while they accepted Hilal’s appeal on procedural grounds, they opted to nullify the original disciplinary decision. New sanctions include a SR500,000 fine, exclusion from all prize money related to the Super Cup, forfeiture of appeal fees, and a ban from the next available knockout competition.
Importantly, the decision is still open to challenge at the Saudi Sports Arbitration Center. This ruling has cast a shadow beyond just Al Hilal; Al Qadsiah is preparing to protest over Al Ahli’s eligibility to compete in the Super Cup, after the Jeddah club was allowed to replace Al Hilal.
Al Qadsiah argues that they should have advanced directly to the final following Hilal’s withdrawal, rather than facing Al Ahli in the semifinal, a match they suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat in.
In an effort to quell the ensuing controversy, the Saudi Football Federation released a statement just minutes after the final kick-off, asserting that Al Ahli’s participation was “legitimate and not subject to appeal” under Article 4.6 of the competition regulations. However, the federation acknowledged that all decisions made by the appeals committee could still be subjected to arbitration.