According to reports, Al Ahli Saudi FC, after their historic AFC Champions League Elite victory, secured three major achievements.

With this title, Al Ahli earned direct qualification for the next season’s AFC Champions League Elite (2025-2026), which now puts one of Riyadh’s football giants—Al Hilal or Al Nassr—at risk of missing continental competitions.

Under current regulations, the top two teams in the Saudi Pro League qualify directly for the AFC Champions League, and Al Ahli’s victory has secured them a direct spot.

Currently, Al Ittihad leads the league with 68 points, six points ahead of second-placed Al Hilal. Al Nassr sits in third with 60 points, with only five matchweeks remaining.

Therefore, Al Hilal, Al Nassr, and Al Qadsiah must now treat their remaining league matches as finals to avoid losing their Asian qualification chances. The second-placed team will qualify directly for the AFC Champions League Elite, while the third-placed team will enter the second-tier AFC Champions League.

However, if Al Qadsiah wins the King’s Cup, they will qualify directly for the second-tier AFC Champions League, meaning the third-placed league team (either Al Hilal or Al Nassr) will lose their Asian spot.

Thus, if Al Ittihad wins the league and Al Qadsiah wins the King’s Cup, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, and the second-placed league team will qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite, while Al Qadsiah will enter the second-tier AFC Champions League—leaving either Al Hilal or Al Nassr out of Asian competitions entirely.

Additionally, Al Ahli became the first team to secure a spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and will also participate in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, featuring champions from different continents.