Saudi press reports indicated that Al-Hilal’s management is seriously considering withdrawing from the 2025 Saudi Super Cup, scheduled to be held in Hong Kong.
As usual, the Super Cup is played with four teams: Al-Ittihad, the Saudi League and King’s Cup champions; runners-up Al-Hilal and Al-Qadisiyah; and Al-Nassr, the third-place team in the Roshen League.
According to recent reports, Al-Hilal officials feel that the players are exhausted after participating in the Club World Cup, and that they need to rest before the start of a highly stressful season filled with matches in four different competitions.
For this reason, Al-Hilal wants to withdraw from the Super Cup, of which it holds the title. The Saudi Football Association is not expected to object, given that the Blue Wave is the only team whose players have barely had a rest for a few days.
The Saudi Super Cup is scheduled to kick off on August 19 with a match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad, while Al-Hilal was scheduled to play Al-Qadisiyah the following day.
If Al Hilal’s withdrawal from the tournament is confirmed, Al Ahli Jeddah, the fourth-place team in the Saudi League, will most likely replace Al-Zaeem.
It should be noted that this is the third time the Saudi Super Cup has been held outside Saudi Arabia, after previously being held in London and Abu Dhabi. This is the first time the tournament will be played in Southeast Asia.
