Inaugural OFC Pro League champions Auckland FC will face the formidable task of defeating Asian champions Al-Ahli when they take to the international stage for the first time in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ this week.
The Saudi Arabian giants have established themselves as one of Asia's elite after defending their continental title this year, and have a squad packed with both homegrown and European-proven talent.
Ahead of Auckland FC's first round clash in Jeddah at 6am NZT on Thursday morning, we've decided to take a closer look at Al-Ahli, their history, coach, and their key players.
How they qualified
A second successive AFC Champions League Elite title secured Al-Ahli's qualification for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ 2026. They beat Japanese club Machida Zelvia 1-0 after extra-time in the final, Firas Al-Buraikan scoring the winning goal.
History
Al-Ahli are one of Saudi Arabia’s most successful football clubs. They have won nine Saudi Pro League titles, eight King’s Cups and two Saudi Super Cups.
The club was founded 89 years ago in 1937 and primarily plays its home matches at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. They share the venue with arch-rivals Al-Ittihad and were also one of the four founding clubs of the Saudi Pro League.
This year’s AFC Champions League Elite title was their second in a row, having also won the Asian crown in 2025. This will also be their second participation in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™, having lost 3-1 on home soil in Jeddah in the second round to Egyptian side Pyramids FC last year.
The Coach: Marino Pušić
Taking over from Matthias Jaissle, who won both of Al-Ahli's Asian titles, Marino Pušić has big shoes to fill. The Dutch-Bosnian manager only joined the club on August 6, 19 days before their FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ fixture with Auckland FC.
Pušić enjoyed a ten-year playing career, before beginning his coaching journey with Dutch club FC Twente in 2017. He won the Ukrainian league title with Shakhtar Donetsk during the 2023/24 season and joins Al-Ahli from Emirati club Al Jazira.
Key Players
Ivan Toney
Recently called up for England’s FIFA World Cup™ 2026 squad, striker Ivan Toney is a highly-recognisable figure in world football. The 30-year-old was prolific in English football, playing for Premier League side Brentford FC, where he scored 67 goals in 120 games for the club.
Toney has ten international caps for England, and since joining Al-Ahli in 2024, has notched an incredible 75 goals in 95 appearances across all competitions. With such a lethal touch up top, Auckland FC will have to find a way to keep the striker quiet – a challenge far easier said than done.
Édouard Mendy
Returning from a serious knee injury he suffered whilst playing for Senegal at the FIFA World Cup™, goalkeeper Édouard Mendy’s involvement is up for speculation. The 34-year-old has had a career at the very top of the game though and 60 international caps to his name.
Mendy played three years for Chelsea in the English Premier League and has also spent time with Rennes and Reims in the French top division. He joined Al-Ahli in 2023 and has 87 appearances for the club, often wearing the captain’s armband.
Francisco Trincão
Moving to Al-Ahli from Portuguese giants Sporting CP just last month, Francisco Trincão can be a world class attacker out wide. He was recently part of Portugal’s FIFA World Cup™ squad and has 20 international caps.
The winger made a name for himself at FC Barcelona and English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, before amassing close to 100 appearances for Sporting CP.
He has played only a handful of matches since joining Al-Ahli but remains a very threatening presence.
Fixture Details
FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ 2026
First Round/African-Asian-Pacific Cup play-off
Al-Ahli FC v Auckland FC | 6am NZT, Thursday 27th August
King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah
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