Saudi Arabia is one of the most successful nations in the AFC Champions League Elite, with its teams lifting the trophy on seven previous occasions.
Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad were billed as title contenders even before a ball was kicked, and they have generated plenty of activity in the online betting industry.
Many of the Arabic betting sites featured on trusted review platform arabswin.com have taken a plethora of bets on the Saudi Pro League (SPL) trio this season.
Arab bettors will be eager to secure a winning return from their wagers and it would be no surprise if one of the SPL teams delivered a sizeable payout for them.
Read on as we look at how the SPL teams are faring in Asia’s elite club tournament.
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal have reached the AFC Champions League Elite final just once since their last title triumph in 2021, when they were defeated 2-1 on aggregate by Urawa Red Diamonds.
Each of the other three campaigns have fallen short of the very high standards that had established the Blue Waves as the most successful team on the continent over the years.
Not only have they won more AFC Champions League Elite titles than any other Asian team (four), they have also reached the final five times – a feat no other team across the continent can boast about.
After bowing out in the semi-finals last season, Al-Hilal have kicked off the 2025/26 campaign like a team determined to redeem themselves.
They are the only team in the competition with a perfect league phase record, winning six games in a row to book their spot in the last-16 with two games to spare.
Al-Hilal must still face United Arab Emirates (UAE) duo Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Wahda. They only need three points from those fixtures to seal their place as league phase winners.
Al-Ahli
Reigning champions Al-Ahli are also on course to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite knockout stage after winning four and drawing one of their six games to date.
Their only defeat in that run came against UAE side Al Sharjah, who claimed a narrow 1-0 win at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. However, Al-Ahli responded with a thumping 5-0 win over Al-Shorta.
The AFC Champions League Elite title holders currently sit third in the standings, five points behind runaway leaders Al-Hilal and six ahead of eighth-placed Al Sharjah.
They face the same opponents as Al-Hilal in their final two league phase fixtures. They visit the UAE to take on Al-Wahda at the Al Nahyan Stadium before hosting Shabab Al-Ahli on home turf.
Al-Ahli have done enough to all but guarantee a spot in the knockout stage, although one win from their final two games will put their place beyond any doubt.
It will be intriguing to see how they handle the new format in their bid to become the first team to successfully defend the crown since Al-Ittihad in 2004 & 2005.
Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad have looked like a shadow of the team that steamrolled to the SPL title last season.
Sergio Conceicao's side have only recently started finding their feet, but their slow start to the season has left them miles off the pace in the SPL title race.
They are also barely hanging on in the AFC Champions League Elite League Phase after collecting just nine points from their opening six games (W3, L3).
Al-Ittihad failed to win any of their opening two continental fixtures, losing back-to-back games against Al-Wahda and Shabab Al-Ahli.
They improved with a thumping 4-1 win against AFC Champions League whipping boys Al-Shorta and a 3-0 victory over Al-Sharjah.
However, Al-Ittihad were brought back down to earth in Qatar, where they suffered a 4-2 defeat against Al Duhail. They bounced back with a narrow 1-0 win against Nasaf Qarshi.
Al-Ittihad cannot afford another slip-up in their final two league phase fixtures against Al-Sadd and Al-Gharafa if they want to progress to the last-16.
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