RIYADH: Al Hilal is not just facing Japan’s Urawa Reds in the first leg of Asian Champions League final on Saturday in Riyadh. The Saudi Arabian club also has to overcome the dominance of teams from east Asia.
Teams from South Korea, China, Japan and Australia have dominated the continental tournament since 2005, winning every title but one. West Asia — the tournament is split into east and west geographic zones until the final — only has the 2011 triumph of Qatar’s Al Sadd to celebrate.
Other top West Asian nations such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria and United Arab Emirates have all sent their best to contest the final yet all have failed to win the tournament that was established in 2003.
In addition to the regional failure, the Riyadh powerhouse has fallen in two finals in the past five years: losing 1-0 over two legs to Western Sydney Wanderers in 2014 and then, in 2017, to Saturday’s opponent Urawa 2-1 on aggregate.
It could be a case of third-time lucky for Al Hilal especially as it has the tournament’s top scorer in its ranks. Bafetimbi Gomis has already scored 10 goals.
“I know that we have been unlucky in the Asian Champions League final on two previous occasions but we are confident that we can win this time,” said Gomis, a former French international who signed for the club for a reported transfer fee of around $16 million in August 2018.
Al Hilal’s failure to win the home leg cost the team in 2014 and 2017 and the ex-Lyon and Swansea City striker knows that taking an advantage to Japan for the return match on Nov. 24 is vital.
“We have to play to our best from the start of the first game and look to get on top,” Gomis said. “The game will not be decided here in our home stadium and will go all the way to the final whistle but we want to get a good start.”
Al Hilal starts as favorite despite Urawa’s 2017 success. The Japanese team has been struggling at home for most of the season.
While the two-time continental champion has been progressing toward another Asian final, there have been relegation worries in the J League.
Urawa sits just five points clear of the relegation zone after playing two games more than its rivals.
The Reds will put domestic worries aside and have a star striker of their own to shoot Urawa to a record third Champions League title.
“Of course I want to become a history-maker,” said forward Shinzo Koroki, who has scored eight goals on the road to the final. “This is the top club competition and the champions will go to the FIFA Club World Cup. It is a big honor for any team.”
Al Hilal facing history as well as Urawa in Asian final
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Al Hilal facing history as well as Urawa in Asian final
- Teams from South Korea, China, Japan and Australia have dominated the continental tournament since 2005, winning every title but one
- Al Hilal has fallen in two finals in the past five years: losing 1-0 over two legs to Western Sydney Wanderers in 2014 and then, in 2017, to Saturday’s opponent Urawa 2-1 on aggregate
World’s top 20 confirmed for Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
- Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and defending champion Mirra Andreeva headline the 26th premier women’s tournament
- WTA 1000 event runs from Feb. 15-21, followed by the 34th ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28
DUBAI: The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships returns in 2026 with one of the strongest WTA 1000 line-ups in its history, featuring all of the world’s top 20 players for the Women’s Week from Feb. 15-21.
The 2026 field features a complete set of top-ranked stars, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, World No. 3 Coco Gauff, and World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, alongside Elena Rybakina (No. 5), Jessica Pegula (No. 6), Jasmine Paolini (No. 7), 2025 champion Mirra Andreeva (No. 8), Madison Keys (No. 9) and Belinda Bencic (No. 10).
Leading the charge is Sabalenka, who returns to Dubai after a standout 2025 season highlighted by her US Open triumph, where the Belarusian claimed her fourth career Grand Slam title and secured a second consecutive win in New York. Reinforcing her position at the top of the women’s game, Sabalenka has started the 2026 season in fine form by retaining her title at the Brisbane International without dropping a set.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek also returns following another exceptional season in which the Polish star captured the 2025 Wimbledon title and reached multiple WTA 1000 finals, finishing the year with one of the highest win percentages on tour.
Joining them is Gauff, who enjoyed a defining 2025 campaign with her French Open victory, the second Grand Slam title of her career and first on clay. The American 21-year-old also added a Masters 1000 trophy in Cincinnati and reached the semi-finals of both the Australian Open and US Open grand slams, closing the year inside the top three for the first time.
Defending champion Andreeva had a breakthrough season in 2025, which saw her secure a historic triumph in Dubai, making her the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history. The 18-year-old Russian followed that success with two Grand Slam quarter-finals and a rapid rise into the world’s top 15. She arrives in Dubai looking to defend the title that launched her onto the global stage.
“We are delighted to welcome all of the top 20 women’s players once again,” said Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the organising committee. “The depth of talent committed for 2026 reflects the status of this event on the global tennis calendar. Dubai has become an essential stop for the world’s best players, and we look forward to another exceptional week of world-class tennis.”
The line-up also includes talents such as World No. 12 and two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina, as well as Canada’s World No. 17 Victoria Mboko, whose breakthrough performances propelled her into the world’s top 20 for the first time. Their presence adds further depth to a roster that cements Dubai’s position as one of the most competitive stops on the WTA calendar.
Salah Tahlak, tournament director and deputy managing director of Dubai Duty Free, said of the line-up: “Women’s tennis continues to set new standards for competitiveness and quality. With the top 20 players confirmed, spectators can expect compelling matches from the opening day. Each year our WTA event delivers incredible moments, and 2026 promises to be no different.”
The 2026 Championships will run back-to-back once again, with the women’s WTA 1000 event from Feb. 15-21 and the men’s ATP 500 tournament from Feb. 23-28.
