Al-shabab - Al Hilal: Riyadh derby set for 27 February with European referee to take charge
al-shabab - al hilal is scheduled for Friday, 27th February 2026 at Al-Shabab Club Stadium with a 20: 00 local time kickoff, a meeting that pitches 12th-place Al Shabab against third-place Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
Form lines and stakes for the Riyadh derby
Al Shabab arrive having improved under Noureddine Zekri, climbing from a poor start to notch four wins in six matches, including a 3-1 victory over Al Riyadh in their most recent fixture. The hosts occupy 12th place with 25 points, holding a season record of 6 wins, 7 draws and 10 defeats and a goal tally of 27 scored and 33 conceded.
Al-Hilal come in as a title contender but with recent wobble: Simone Inzaghi’s side dropped from the top of the table after sharing four draws in their last six matches and were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Taawoun in their latest game. The visitors sit third on 54 points with an unbeaten season record listed as 16 wins and 6 draws, 56 goals scored and 19 conceded, and an away record of 7 wins and 3 draws.
Al-shabab - Al Hilal: lineups, absences and match odds
Squad news sharpens the storyline. Al-Shabab will be without Carlos Junior due to injury. Al-Hilal face multiple absences: Tambakti is ruled out and Hamad Al-Yami will undergo surgery in Finland, while Miti is reported as recovering. Inzaghi has named Al-Ajami and Al-Harbi as replacements for the injured Tambakti and Al-Yami. The head-to-head backdrop favors Al-Hilal—their last meeting ended 1-0 to Al-Hilal and, over the last five meetings, Al-Hilal have won four with one draw.
Betting markets in previews favor Al-Hilal, with bookmakers offering an away win as the primary tip and some previews suggesting Both Teams to Score as a likely outcome after recent scorelines from both sides.
A European referee, broadcasting notes and local interest
A European referee has been appointed to take charge of the Riyadh derby, a detail flagged in pre-match coverage for the fixture at Al-Shabab Club Stadium. Broadcast arrangements include UK rights held by DAZN for selected Saudi Pro League matches and potential coverage in the US on Fox and Fubo platforms if this match appears on their schedules.
Off-field developments add texture: Al-Hilal figures have navigated personnel disputes ahead of the match—Hamdallah and Carrasco reportedly resolved a disagreement—and club figures have made public statements on coaching continuity and injury timelines, with Benzema and Nasser Al-Dosari described as temporarily absent.
The matchup will test Al Shabab’s recent upturn—four wins in six—and Al-Hilal’s ability to stop a run of draws that cost them top spot; kickoff is confirmed for 20: 00 local time on Friday, 27th February 2026 at Al-Shabab Club Stadium, where a European referee will oversee the derby.
