Domestic football returns in Saudi Arabia for historic season with the Saudi Super Cup 2024 in Abha

(MENAFN- Hkstrategies) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 9 August 2024: The Saudi Super Cup, the traditional curtain raiser in Saudi Arabian football, is set to ignite the 2024-25 season with an opening weekend of high-intensity football and fierce competition as the first matches of the new season kick off in Abha this week.

Hosted in the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in the picturesque city of Abha for the first time, the top four teams from Saudi Arabian football’s historic 2023-24 season will compete for the first honours of the new season.

As the top four finishers in the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) in the previous season, Al Nassr, Al Ahli, Al Taawoun and domestic treble winners Al Hilal will compete for the prestigious trophy to open the campaign.

Following Al Hilal's record fourth Super Cup win in April, this year's tournament will continue with the expanded four-team format introduced in 2023. The semi-final phase will see Al Hilal begin their campaign against Al Ahli on 13 August, while Al Nassr take on Al Taawoun on 14 August in Abha. The winners will then proceed to the Saudi Super Cup final, set to kick off at 7.15pm local time on Saturday 17 August.

As the domestic treble-winners last season, Al Hilal is aiming to maintain their flawless form from the 2023-24 campaign which saw the Riyadh side secure their record 19th league title under Portuguese manager, Jorge Jesus. Portugal’s Ruben Neves, Serbian duo Aleksandr Mitrovic and Sergej Milinković-Savić, and the returning Neymar are all set to feature in the season-opening competition in Abha.

Returning for their second top-flight season, Al Ahli will provide a tough test for last year’s champions as the Jeddah team aims to secure their first Super Cup victory since 2016. With a strong pre-season featuring the return of international stars in Edouard Mendy, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino, the opening match in Saudi Arabian football will provide a lively start to the new season.

Al Nassr, led by Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, have their sights set on redemption going into the new season, after a dramatic penalty shoot-out loss in the King’s Cup final to end a difficult campaign. With new signing Brazilian goalkeeper Bento set to feature, the Riyadh side will be aiming to add to their two previous successes in the Saudi Super Cup.

As the surprise performers in the 2023-24 season, Al Taawoun will be aiming to replicate their fine form that saw the Buraydah outfit achieve an impressive fourth place finish in the top flight. Led out for the first time by new manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena, Al Taawoun are set to feature in the curtain raiser with aims to bring an early shock to the new season.

The Saudi Super Cup features as part of a historic new season of domestic football in Saudi Arabia and is the first football tournament to take place in the Kingdom since the historic announcement of Saudi Arabia’s official bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, bringing together the world for the largest edition of the tournament to date in line with the campaign’s slogan of ‘Growing. Together.’.

With football standing as a fundamental pillar within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to inspire its youthful population, the 2024 edition of the Saudi Super Cup is set to bring the nation’s biggest footballing moments to new parts of the country ahead of a historic new season.

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