Al Ahli secures the Asian Champions League title for the second consecutive time.

Al Ahli needed 120 minutes to decode the phenomenon of Machida Zelvia in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026 final.

The AFC Champions League Elite 2026 final concluded with intense emotion as Al Ahli defeated Machida Zelvia 1-0 after 120 breathless minutes at their home stadium in Jeddah. Despite playing with a reduced squad for most of the second half, the Saudi Arabian representative demonstrated the resilience of champions to successfully defend the continental title.

With over 60,000 fervent spectators in the stands, Al Ahli entered the match under immense pressure, compelled to keep the trophy in West Asia. Meanwhile, Machida Zelvia quietly advanced to the final through disciplined play and a desire to make history for Japanese football. This resulted in an exceptionally tight and tense match.

The pressure of expectations caused the host stars to start the game rather stagnantly. Despite controlling possession more, Al Ahli repeatedly struggled against the opponent's tight defense. Galeno had a great opportunity when breaking through to face goalkeeper Kosei Tani, but his finishing shot lacked sufficient sharpness. Late in the first half, Merih Demiral also regretted a close-range shot blocked right on the goal line.

A major turning point emerged midway through the second half when Zakaria Hawsawi lost composure in a confrontation and headbutted Tete Yangi. The referee immediately issued a direct red card, placing Al Ahli in an extremely difficult position. Capitalizing on the numerical advantage, Machida Zelvia promptly pushed forward, continuously creating dangerous situations that forced goalkeeper Édouard Mendy to showcase his saving skills.

Nevertheless, sustained pressure over 90 minutes still could not help the Japanese representative find the decisive goal. As the match entered extra time, the experience of stars who had competed in Europe came through at the right moment. In the 96th minute, Franck Kessié executed a clever wall pass, allowing Firas Al-Burikan to surge forward and powerfully strike the ball into the net, scoring the sole goal of the match.

The precious goal enabled Al Ahli to withstand the tense final moments and officially claim the crown. Riyad Mahrez admitted that playing with 10 against 11 was an extreme challenge, but team unity helped them overcome adversity. This courageous victory places Al Ahli into history as the first club to successfully defend the AFC Champions League Elite title since Al Ittihad's dominance in 2005.

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