Al-Ahli lifted the AFC Champions League Elite trophy for the first time on Saturday night, beating Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 in front of 60,000 fans in Jeddah. The victory, secured by goals from Roberto Firmino and Franck Kessié, came amid growing unease over Saudi Arabia’s financial and political dominance of the competition.
Firmino, who is not registered in the Saudi Pro League due to foreign player restrictions, was named tournament MVP after a series of standout performances. “They take me out of the league … but I don’t give up,” he said. His teammate Riyad Mahrez, who came close to scoring a third, added the Asian title to a European one he won earlier in his career.
The win continues a remarkable rise for Al-Ahli, who were in the second division two years ago after a shock relegation. Their head coach, Matthias Jaissle, survived rumours of replacement by Max Allegri and now has a continental crown. Jeddah, home to another Asian champion, Al-Ittihad, has become a hotbed of football, turbocharged by the Public Investment Fund’s takeover of four Saudi clubs.
The £800m spent in the initial transfer window has reshaped the Asian Champions League, attracting stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. However, concerns are mounting over the tournament’s new format, which placed two groups of 12 rather than 10 groups of four. The knockout stages were hosted entirely in Jeddah, a decision that drew little criticism despite Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr winning their quarter-finals against eastern opposition by a combined 14-1.
Gwangju FC, a South Korean team on their continental debut, faced a 20-hour journey for a one-legged tie against Al-Hilal, who have a wage bill 30 times higher. Such disparities, coupled with the concentration of power in the west, have led to questions about the future of the competition. Kawasaki Frontale, five-time Japanese champions, were cast as plucky outsiders in the final and never threatened Al-Ahli’s dominance.
