Saudi Super Cup

Saudi Super Cup
Organising bodySaudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF)
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
RegionSaudi Arabia
Number of teams2 (2013–2021)
4 (2022–Present)
Current championsAl-Hilal (5th title)
Most successful club(s)Al-Hilal (5 titles)
Television broadcasters
Websitesaff.com.sa/championshipcup
2024 Saudi Super Cup

The Saudi Super Cup (Arabic: كأس السوبر السعودي) is an annual super cup football tournament organized by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the current edition is known as "The Diriyah Super Cup" for sponsorship reasons.

Founded in 2013 as a two-team competition, the current version has been contested since 2022–23 by four teams: the winners and runners-up of the King's Cup and Saudi Pro League.

History

The idea of having a super cup tournament in Saudi Arabia dates back to 1979 when a two-legged match was held between the 1978–79 Saudi Premier League winners, Al-Hilal, and the 1979 King Cup winners, Al-Ahli. The first leg, which was played in Jeddah, ended in 2–2 draw and the second leg, held in Riyadh, ended in a 4–1 win for Al-Hilal.[1] 20 years later, another super cup match between Al-Hilal, the 1997–98 Saudi Premier League winners, and Al-Ahli, the 1997–98 Saudi Crown Prince Cup winners, was held. It was the opening match for the inaugural Saudi Founder's Cup and ended in a 5–2 win for Al-Hilal.[2]

In 2012, Saudi Arabian Football Federation officially decided to launch the tournament following the conclusion of the 2011–12 season. The planned super cup match was set to be held between the 2011–12 Saudi Professional League winners, Al-Shabab and the 2012 King Cup of Champions winners, Al-Ahli.[3] However, the 2012 Super Cup was canceled due to scheduling issues as no appropriate date for the match was found.[4] The tournament was officially inaugurated in 2013 and was played by the 2012–13 Saudi Professional League winners, Al-Fateh, and 2013 King Cup of Champions winners, Al-Ittihad.[5] Al-Fateh won the first official edition of the Saudi Super Cup after beating Al-Ittihad 3–2 after extra time.[6] The 2014 Saudi Super Cup was the first edition to be held in Riyadh. Al-Shabab defeated Al-Nassr 4–3 on penalties in the King Fahd International Stadium.[7] In 2015, the Super Cup was played outside of Saudi Arabia for the first time. The match was between 2014–15 Saudi Professional League winners, Al-Nassr, and 2015 King Cup winners, Al-Hilal. The match was held in Loftus Road in London and ended in 1–0 win for Al-Hilal.[8] The next two editions were also held in London, with the 2016 edition held in Craven Cottage and the 2018 edition held once again in Loftus Road. In 2016, Al-Ahli defeated Al-Hilal 4–3 on penalties.[9] The 2017 edition which was supposed to be contested between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad was the first edition to be canceled. The decision was based on the request of then-Saudi national team manager, Edgardo Bauza, who expressed his desire to change the calendar of the season to help him set the ideal preparation program for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[10] In 2018, the tournament returned following a years absence. Al-Hilal defeated Al-Ittihad 2–1 to become the first team to win the trophy twice.[11] In 2019, the Saudi Super Cup was held in Jeddah for the first time. Al-Nassr defeated Al-Taawoun 5–4 on penalties in the King Abdullah Sports City to win their first title.[12]

On 12 January 2021, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and Saudi water company "Berain" signed a sponsorship deal for the 2020 edition. The match would officially be referred to as "The Berain Saudi Super Cup".[13] On 30 January 2021, Al-Nassr defeated Al-Hilal 3–0 to win their second title.[14] They became the first team to win two consecutive titles and also set the record for the biggest goal margin. On 6 January 2022, Al-Hilal defeated Al-Faisaly, who were making their debut in the competition, 4–3 on penalties to become the most successful team in the competition with three titles.[15]

On 19 February 2022, the SAFF announced that the Saudi Super Cup would expand to four teams with the winners and runners-up of the Saudi Professional League and the King Cup taking part.[16]

Sponsorship

Competition rules

  • League champions and runners up versus King's Cup winners and runners up.[17]
  • The match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. If the scores are level at the end of 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out determines the winner.[17]

Records and statistics

Finals by year

Two-team format

Year Pro League winner Result King Cup winner Scorers[a] Stadium Attendance
2013 Al-Fateh 3–2 (a.e.t.) Al-Ittihad Fuakumputu (2), Élton; Fallatah (2) King Abdulaziz Sports City, Mecca 29,376
2014 Al-Nassr 1–1 (3–4 p) Al-Shabab Al-Sahlawi; Hazazi King Fahd Sports City, Riyadh 31,000
2015 Al-Nassr 0–1 Al-Hilal Carlos Eduardo Loftus Road, London, England 8,439
2016 Al-Ahli 1–1 (4–3 p) Al-Hilal[b] Al Somah; Al-Breik Craven Cottage, London, England 16,365
2018 Al-Hilal 2–1 Al-Ittihad Carlos Eduardo, Rivas; El Ahmadi Loftus Road, London, England 16,300
2019 Al-Nassr 1–1 (5–4 p) Al-Taawoun Hamdallah; Tawamba King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah 40,514
2020 Al-Hilal 0–3 Al-Nassr[c] Petros, Hamdallah, Al-Najei King Fahd Sports City, Riyadh 0[d]
2021 Al-Hilal 2–2 (4–3 p) Al-Faisaly S. Al-Dawsari, Al-Shahrani; Al-Amri, Amalfitano Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City, Riyadh 6,164
  1. ^ Pro League winner's scorers listed first.
  2. ^ Qualified as Crown Prince Cup winners.
  3. ^ Qualified as Pro League runners-up.
  4. ^ The match was held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four-team format

Year Winners Score Runners-up Semi-finalists Stadium
2022 Al-Ittihad
(2021–22 Pro League runners-up) 		2–0 Al-Fayha
(2021–22 King Cup winners) 		Al-Nassr
(2021–22 Pro League third place) 		Saudi Arabia King Fahd Sports City, Riyadh
Al-Hilal
(2021–22 Pro League winners & 2021–22 King Cup runners-up)
2023 Al-Hilal
(2022–23 King Cup winners) 		4–1 Al-Ittihad
(2022–23 Pro League winners) 		Al-Nassr
(2022–23 Pro League runners-up) 		United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Al-Wehda
(2022–23 King Cup runners-up)
2024 Al-Hilal
(2023–24 Pro League winners & 2023–24 King Cup winners) 		4–1 Al-Nassr
(2023–24 Pro League runners-up) 		Al-Ahli
(2021–22 Pro League third place) 		Saudi Arabia Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City, Abha
Al-Taawoun
(2021–22 Pro League fourth place)

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Semi-finalists Years won Years runner-up Years semi-finalist
Al-Hilal
5
2
1
 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024 2016, 2020 2022
Al-Nassr
2
3
2
 2019, 2020 2014, 2015, 2024 2022, 2023
Al-Ittihad
1
3
–
 2022 2013, 2018, 2023
Al-Fateh
1
–
–
 2013
Al-Shabab
1
–
–
 2014
Al-Ahli
1
–
1
 2016 2024
Al-Taawoun
–
1
1
 2019 2024
Al-Faisaly
–
1
–
 2021
Al-Fayha
–
1
–
 2022
Al-Wehda
–
–
1
 2023

Performance by representative

Winners Runners-up Semi-finalists
Pro League champions
5
4
1
King’s Cup champions
3
5
–
Pro League runners-up
2
–
1
Crown Prince’s Cup champions
–
1
–
Pro League third place
–
–
2
King’s Cup runners-up
–
–
1

Winners

No Year Winners
1 2013 Al-Fateh
2 2014 Al-Shabab
3 2015 Al-Hilal
4 2016 Al-Ahli
– 2017 Canceled
5 2018 Al-Hilal
6 2019 Al-Nassr
7 2020 Al-Nassr
8 2021 Al-Hilal
9 2022 Al-Ittihad
10 2023 Al-Hilal
11 2024 Al-Hilal

All-time top goalscorers

As of Aguest 2024
Player Nationality Goals
1 Abderrazak Hamdallah Morocco Morocco 7
2 Malcom Brazil Brazil 4
3 Aleksandar Mitrović

Salem Al-Dawsari

Serbia Serbia
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 		3

See also

References

  1. ^ "السوبر السعودي.. فكرة بدأت قبل 39 عاما". Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  2. ^ "الهلال والأهلي خاضا أول بطولة". 8 August 2015.
  3. ^ "للمرة الأولى في عهد (اتحاد عيد).. كأس سوبر في السعودية". Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  4. ^ "صحيفة: إلغاء مباراة "كأس السوبر" بين الشباب والأهلي". 2 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  5. ^ "كأس السوبر.. افتتاحية رائعة في شتى بقاع العالم". Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  6. ^ "الفتح يطيح بالاتحاد ويتوج بلقب «السوبر السعودي»". Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  7. ^ "شمس الشباب تشرق من جديد بالـ (سوبر)". Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  8. ^ "الهلال يخطف السوبر السعودي بفوزه على النصر في لندن". Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  9. ^ "الأهلي بطلا للسوبر السعودي للمرة الأولى في تاريخه". 8 August 2016. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  10. ^ "الاتحاد السعودي يوضح أسباب إلغاء مباراة الهلال والاتحاد". Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  11. ^ "الهلال يتوج بلقب السوبر السعودي". Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  12. ^ "بالترجيح .. النصر يهزم التعاون ويُتوَّج بكأس السوبر". 4 January 2020. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  13. ^ "الاتحاد السعودي يوقع مع مياه بيرين عقد رعاية كأس السوبر السعودي". Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  14. ^ "النصر بطل لكأس السوبر السعودي للمرة الثانية على التوالي". Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  15. ^ "ركلات الترجيح تمنح الهلال لقب السوبر السعودي".
  16. ^ "السوبر السعودي 2022 - 2023.. 4 فرق و3 مباريات". Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  17. ^ a b "لائحة المسابقات والبطولات بالإتحاد العربي السعودي لكرة القدم" [Regulations of Saudi Arabian Football Federation Competitions] (PDF) (in Arabic). Saudi Arabian Football Federation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2016.