Al-Ittihad will begin their Saudi King’s Cup campaign against Al-Najma on 18 August 2026, with the club aiming to recover from a disappointing 2025-26 season and regain the trophy they won two editions ago.
The Jeddah side enter the 2026-27 competition determined to challenge for the title, under the leadership of German manager Jens Wissing, who took charge during the summer of 2026.
Al-Ittihad’s opening fixture will be played in the round of 32. Their route beyond that stage will be decided by a fresh draw after each round, provided they progress from their respective ties.
The Saudi King’s Cup remains one of the country’s most important domestic competitions, both technically and in terms of its appeal to supporters. Although the major clubs compete fiercely for the Roshn Saudi League title, the cup continues to attract significant attention because of the possibility of unexpected results throughout the tournament.
Al-Ittihad were crowned champions in the edition before last and will hope to reclaim the trophy after falling short during a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. Their immediate task, however, will be to overcome Al-Najma in their first match of the new season.
The competition will be played as a single-match knockout tournament from the round of 32 through to the final. There will be no two-legged ties, meaning each match carries a decisive importance and can bring an end to a club’s hopes of winning the cup.
A new draw will take place after every round to determine the next ties. As a result, Al-Ittihad’s potential opponents and the rest of their path to the final will not be known until they have completed each stage and the subsequent draw has been held.
The broadcasting rights for the 2026-27 Saudi King’s Cup in the Middle East and North Africa belong to the Thmanyah network. Those rights run through to the end of the 2030-31 season.
Supporters who want to watch the matches online can use the Thmanyah application. Viewers outside the region are advised in the source material to use NordVPN to follow the games.
The promotional message accompanying the viewing information says: “Get a secure and fast internet connection using NordVPN. Subscribe now!”
For Al-Ittihad, the focus is now on making a strong start against Al-Najma and building a cup run capable of delivering a major trophy after a season that failed to meet the expectations of their supporters.
