Al-ahli Vs Al-ittihad: Mahrez and Aouar to Headline Jeddah Derby
The al-ahli vs al-ittihad Jeddah derby arrives on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 7: 00 PM GMT as part of Matchday 25, setting up a duel between Riyad Mahrez and Houssem Aouar that could shift the top places in the Saudi Pro League.
Al-ahli Vs Al-ittihad: Match details and kickoff
The fixture kicks off on March 6, 2026, at 7: 00 PM GMT (the posted kickoff is 7: 00 PM GMT) and is being billed as a pivotal Jeddah derby for the title race and local bragging rights. Al-Ahli sit second in the table, two points behind Al-Nassr, while Al-Ittihad begin the matchday in fifth place after a recent four-match unbeaten run.
Mahrez against Aouar — a game within the game
Riyad Mahrez enters the match with three league goals and seven assists for Al-Ahli, giving him a direct role in his side’s push to reclaim the top spot; Houssem Aouar has three goals and one assist for Al-Ittihad, and remains his club’s main asset in the AFC Champions League. The March 6, 2026 matchup in Jeddah therefore becomes a strategic contest between those two playmakers.
Conceição leans on set pieces and a tighter back line
Al-Ittihad coach Sergio Conceição has emphasized a defensive approach for the Jeddah derby, with a headline-sized slogan that set pieces are ”our weapon” against Al-Ahli. Conceição has also made squad changes ahead of the game, with exclusions and absences reported in the build-up that shape how Al-Ittihad will defend and attack on March 6, 2026.
The tactical tilt matters because Al-Ahli, described in previews as Asian champions, have been productive in possession but sometimes profligate in front of goal; a conservative, set-piece-focused Al-Ittihad side can push the clash toward a low-scoring outcome.
Team news, absences and immediate implications
In the run-up to the derby there have been notable absences: a forward is listed as missing the fixture through injury and reports note at least three Al-Ittihad players excluded from selection. Those absences increase the importance of Mahrez’s creativity for Al-Ahli on March 6, 2026, while Al-Ittihad’s compact defensive setup and set-piece plans will be central to how Sergio Conceição tries to curb chances.
With Al-Ahli two points behind Al-Nassr in the standings, a win on Matchday 25 would put tangible pressure on the leaders; for Al-Ittihad, climbing from fifth requires a result in Jeddah to sustain their recent unbeaten sequence.
The fixture is scheduled for March 6, 2026, at 7: 00 PM GMT as Matchday 25 kicks off in Jeddah. The next confirmed event is the kickoff itself, when both sides will test their plans in front of derby crowds in Jeddah on March 6, 2026.
