Al-Ahli leads Saudi Arabia to Asian supremacy

Saudi Arabian clubs have cemented their place at the top of Asian football, equaling South Korea's record in the number of AFC Champions League titles, thanks to Al-Ahli's victory in the latest edition of the tournament. Al-Ahli secured the continental title with a 1-0 win over Japan's Machida Zelvia in Saturday's final, reaffirming their strong presence in the competition. The Jeddah-based club successfully defended their title, having first won it in May 2015 against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, continuing their dominance over Japanese clubs in the finals. With this achievement, Saudi Arabian clubs now boast six titles, surpassing Japan, which has dropped to second place with five, while sharing the top spot with South Korea, also with five titles. The Saudi titles are distributed between Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal, with two each, clearly demonstrating the strength of Saudi Arabian football on the continental stage. It is worth noting that the tournament was launched in 2003, before entering a new phase under the name “Elite” starting from the 2024-2025 edition.