All eyes of Saudi and Arab football fans are on Jeddah, where the 25th round of the Saudi Professional League kicks off tomorrow, Thursday. This round promises high-stakes matches and complex calculations in the battles at both the top and bottom of the table. This round is of exceptional importance given the crucial juncture the league is at, as teams strive to solidify their positions before the final stretch of the competition.

The derby of tradition: Al-Ahli vs. Al-Ittihad

The highly anticipated Jeddah derby between arch-rivals Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad will steal the spotlight on Friday evening, in a match that transcends the mere three-pointer, representing a historic struggle for supremacy in the coastal city. Al-Ahli enters the match in second place with 59 points, chasing league leaders Al-Nassr by just two points and holding a one-point advantage over third-placed Al-Hilal. This makes a victory crucial for Al-Ahli to maintain their fierce competition for the title, which has eluded them since the 2015-2016 season.

Al-Ahli is heavily relying on the impressive record of its young German coach, Matthias Jäissle (37 years old), who has proven his mettle in derby matches, securing three wins and suffering only one defeat in five encounters. Jäissle aims to replicate this success and achieve a home and away victory against Al-Ittihad this season, having already secured a 1-0 win in the first leg.

Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad enters the match in fifth place with 42 points, seeking to appease its fans and confirm its recent resurgence after a hard-fought victory against Al-Khaleej, which halted a run of poor results. The "Dean" aims to upset its traditional rival and improve its position in the standings, despite being 12 points adrift of the top four.

Al-Nassr will be without Ronaldo in their match against Neom

In a related development concerning the top spot, Al-Nassr hosts Neom on Saturday in a match where the "Global" team will be without their captain and all-time leading scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo. The club announced that the 41-year-old Portuguese star is suffering from a muscle injury sustained in the last round against Al-Fayha and will undergo an intensive treatment program.

Ronaldo's injury is a significant blow to the team's plans to maintain its lead, especially since Neom, despite being in eighth place with 32 points, could pose a challenge to the league leaders. Al-Nassr hopes to overcome this hurdle and avoid the pressure scenarios the team has faced in its recent matches.

Other matches in the round

The round also features other important matches, with Al-Qadisiyah visiting Al-Kholoud, Damac facing Al-Riyadh, and Al-Hilal, aiming to climb further up the table, hosting bottom-placed Al-Najma on Friday. Al-Taawoun plays Al-Fateh, and Al-Khaleej takes on Al-Hazm. The round concludes with two exciting matches on Saturday: Al-Akhdoud vs. Al-Fayha, and Al-Ettifaq vs. Al-Shabab.

On a memorable sporting night in Medina, Al-Ula Club continued to make history, cementing its dominance in Saudi futsal by winning the Saudi Futsal Federation Cup for the 2025-2026 season. This well-deserved victory, their second consecutive title, confirms that their previous success was not a fluke, but rather the result of meticulous technical and administrative work.

The Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Sports City gymnasium hosted the final match on Tuesday evening, which pitted the defending champions, Al-Ula, against Al-Wadi Club. Al-Ula entered the match with the determination of champions and a clear desire to maintain their lead, imposing their style of play from the opening minutes. They managed to finish the first half with a tactical 1-0 lead, showcasing excellent defensive and offensive discipline.

In the second half, Al-Ula Club translated their dominance into a goal fest, extending their lead with three more goals. They capitalized on the space and physicality of their opponents, resulting in a resounding 4-1 victory. Despite Al-Wadi Club's attempts to mount a comeback and score a consolation goal, Al-Ula's experience proved decisive, securing their place on the podium and lifting the coveted trophy.

The champion's journey... numbers that reflect his merit

Al-Ula's path to gold was far from easy; it came after a marathon journey that saw them eliminate major rivals, showcasing a formidable attacking force. The team began their title defense in the Round of 16 with a resounding 8-1 victory over Al-Fayd, sending a strong message to their opponents. In the quarterfinals, they continued their impressive performances, overcoming Al-Majd with a 5-1 win.

The real test came in the semi-final, where Al-Ula played an epic football match against Al-Qadisiyah Club, which ended with an exciting and difficult victory with a score of (5-4), in a breathtaking match that proved the strong character of the team and its ability to deal with pressures in critical times, before concluding the journey with a great victory in the final.

Consolidating Al-Ula's position on the sports map

This achievement further solidifies Al-Ula's position not only as a global tourist and historical destination, but also as a rising sporting force in Saudi Arabia. Retaining the title for two consecutive seasons reflects the stability of the club's sporting project and its success in building a professional system capable of competing and consistently winning titles. This contributes to raising the level of futsal in the Kingdom and intensifies local competition, which will ultimately benefit the national teams in the future.

Recent American press reports have revealed the official position of US President Donald Trump regarding the participation of the Iranian national team in the 2026 World Cup finals, a tournament that fans around the world are eagerly anticipating as it is the largest edition in the history of the World Cup.

According to USA Today, the US president is not showing any particular interest or concern about the Iranian national team being on US soil to participate in the tournament, which the United States is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This stance comes at a time when international relations are experiencing sharp political tensions, which adds a special dimension to this sporting event.

Details of the Iran group and host stadiums

The Iranian national team is set to compete in the World Cup in a tough group, starting with a match against New Zealand, followed by a highly anticipated game against the star-studded Belgian team. Iran will conclude the group stage with an all-Arab clash against Egypt in the second half of June 2026. These matches are of particular logistical and fan significance, as Los Angeles – home to a large Iranian community – will host two of the team's matches, while the highly anticipated match against Egypt will take place in Seattle on June 26.

Geopolitical tensions and the possibility of withdrawal

Despite the sporting preparations, signs of a crisis are looming that could jeopardize the participation of the Iranian national team. Mehdi Taj, head of the Iranian Football Federation, hinted in previous statements at the possibility of his country's team withdrawing. This threat comes against the backdrop of escalating regional tensions and what reports have described as an "American-Israeli war" against Iran, particularly after Israel's announcement on February 28th of preemptive strikes. This situation presents FIFA with a significant challenge in separating politics from sports and ensuring the safety of the participating delegations.

FIFA regulations and the Asian alternative candidate

Should Tehran officially decide to withdraw its national team from the tournament, FIFA regulations are clear on this matter. The rules stipulate that a withdrawing team must be replaced by another team from the same continent, and based on the results of the Asian qualifiers, the UAE national team is the most likely candidate to fill the void left by Iran, given its third-place finish in Group A. If this scenario unfolds, the UAE would be placed directly into Group G, where it would face Egypt, Belgium, and New Zealand, following the same match order and schedule.

FIFA's official position

For his part, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström confirmed that FIFA is closely monitoring the current situation. Grafström stressed that the federation's top priority is ensuring a safe World Cup, focusing on the organizational and security aspects for all 48 participating teams, regardless of the ongoing political conflicts.