By Sfiso
Hong Kong got a loud taste of Saudi football’s global push this week. In front of 30,653 fans at Hong Kong Stadium on Tuesday, Al-Nassr recovered from an early setback to beat Al-Ittihad 2-1 and book a place in Friday’s Saudi Super Cup final. A day later, the crowd thinned to 20,156, and Al-Ahli made light work of Al-Qadsiah with a 5-1 win that swung on VAR and a first-half red card. The stage is set: Al-Nassr vs Al-Ahli, a heavyweight showdown with star power and a trophy on the line.
Al-Nassr edge Al-Ittihad in a high-tempo semifinal
This semi had the feel of a title bout long before kickoff. Two of the league’s most followed clubs, a packed neutral venue, and Cristiano Ronaldo drawing camera lenses from the warm-up onward. Referee Khalid Al-Turais kept a firm grip as Al-Ittihad came flying out of the blocks, and the early punch landed: Bergwijn struck in the 16th minute, a sharp finish that stunned the Al-Nassr back line and sent the Al-Ittihad end into a frenzy.
Al-Nassr didn’t panic. They settled, squeezed the midfield, and began finding better angles into the box. Ronaldo’s movement started dragging markers into awkward spots, opening pockets for runners. The equalizer felt inevitable, and once it came, the momentum flipped. Al-Nassr forced turnovers high, pinned Al-Ittihad’s full-backs deep, and turned the match into repeated waves of pressure.
The winner arrived from that sustained spell—patient build-up, a precise final ball, and a finish that rewarded their control. From there, Al-Nassr’s game management kicked in. They slowed the tempo when needed, pushed the line up to compress space, and let Al-Ittihad chase shadows. The final whistle brought a roar that felt like a home game thousands of kilometers from Riyadh.
For Al-Ittihad, who qualified as runners-up from the 2023 season, the frustration will sting. They had the perfect start and enough experience to see it through, but couldn’t keep control of midfield once Al-Nassr raised the intensity. The margins were thin, the punishment severe. Against a team with this much star wattage and experience, one lull was all it took.
What stood out most was how international the occasion felt. The banners, the chants in multiple languages, and a host city that embraced the spectacle. It’s not every day a domestic cup semi sells over 30,000 tickets overseas. Ronaldo’s presence helped, no question. The energy in the ground was different when he touched the ball—phone screens up, bodies leaning forward, a little hush before the inevitable shot or flick.
VAR drama, a red card, and a ruthless Al-Ahli set up a blockbuster final
Wednesday’s second semi had a very different rhythm. Al-Qadsiah shocked the stadium early when Gaston Alvarez rose in the eighth minute to head them in front. That lead lasted just four minutes. Franck Kessie pounced on slack defending to level the score, and from then on, Al-Ahli—billed as the reigning Asian champions—played with the swagger of a team that believed the night belonged to them.
By the 28th minute, Ivan Toney stepped up to the spot and buried the 43rd penalty of his career. The technique was routine for him, but the moment was big for the tie: Al-Ahli now had the scoreboard and the rhythm. Enzo Millot added a crisp third before the break, just as Al-Qadsiah’s composure crumbled.
The flashpoint came in the 42nd minute. Christopher Baah’s dismissal left Al-Qadsiah down to ten, and with VAR checking and rechecking incidents, the match’s tempo fractured. Al-Ahli stayed clinical. Kessie struck again in first-half stoppage time to make it 4-1, and when Nacho Fernandez diverted into his own net on 61 minutes, the contest was done. The scoreboard said rout; the pattern of play said inevitable.
Without Ronaldo in the building on Wednesday, the attendance drop told its own story. Organizers talked up demand, but the difference between a 30,000-plus Tuesday and just over 20,000 on Wednesday was stark. It underlined what everyone already knows: star power moves tickets, and this tournament is leaning into that reality as it courts new markets.
So here we are—Friday’s final at Hong Kong Stadium brings together two clubs with muscle, money, and momentum. Al-Nassr want another piece of silverware for a dressing room built for nights like this. Al-Ahli are chasing a second Super Cup title and walk into the game with a frontline that looked sharp and a midfield that punished every mistake.
There’s plenty to watch. How does Al-Ahli’s double pivot cope with Al-Nassr’s rotations between the lines? Can their back line handle Ronaldo’s dragging runs and the aerial threat that follows the second ball? Does Al-Nassr press as aggressively as they did after falling behind to Al-Ittihad, or do they sit a touch deeper to bait Kessie and Millot into higher starting positions? The chess match should be as interesting as the counterpunching.
The conditions could matter too. August in Hong Kong is humid, and both teams played midweek. Recovery, rotation, and the first 20 minutes will tell you a lot—who has legs, who has timing. Set pieces may decide it; both sides have takers with range and center-backs who attack the near post with intent.
This edition of the tournament also says a lot about where Saudi football sees itself. Taking competitive fixtures to a major Asian hub, drawing solid crowds, and putting world-known names on the pitch—this is the blueprint. It’s part marketing, part sporting ambition. Fans get a festival feel, broadcasters get prime-time inventory across time zones, and players get the kind of stage that turns highlights into global clips.
The format helps. With a streamlined four-team bracket—semifinals and a final in one city—the story builds quickly. Tuesday sets the tone, Wednesday brings the twist, Friday delivers the payoff. For neutrals, it’s easy to follow; for clubs, it’s a clear shot at a trophy before the grind of the league calendar takes over.
Al-Nassr arrive with belief after outlasting a stubborn Al-Ittihad and showing the maturity to manage the closing stages. Al-Ahli come in hot and confident, their attack humming and their midfield scoring. If the semifinal crowds were a referendum on star power, the final is the verdict on who can harness it under pressure.
Kickoff is Friday, August 23, at Hong Kong Stadium. Expect noise. Expect cameras locked on Ronaldo. Expect Al-Ahli to test the space behind full-backs, and Al-Nassr to probe for gaps at the top of the box. One game, one trophy, and a growing audience watching Saudi football plant its flag far from home.
