Overview
- Al-Ahli, which edged Japan’s Machida Zelvia 1-0 in extra time on Saturday, sealed the title through Feras Al Buraikan’s 96th-minute finish in front of a home crowd in Jeddah.
- The Saudis played much of the second half with 10 men after Zakaria Hawsawi was sent off for a headbutt, and substitute Mohammed Abdulrahman was later dismissed from the bench.
- The final drew 58,984 at King Abdullah Sports City, reinforcing concerns that staging the late rounds in Jeddah hands the hosts a clear advantage.
- The win made Al-Ahli the first back-to-back Asian champions since Al-Ittihad in 2005 and secured spots in the Intercontinental Cup this year and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
- Debut finalists Machida conceded their first knockout goal of the tournament, and coach Go Kuroda said the near-60,000 pro-Al-Ahli crowd created heavy mental pressure for his players.