Al Hilal will start the game as overwhelming favourites when they look to defend their Saudi Super Cup title against Al Ittihad at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
However, Jorge Jesus, the Hilal manager, insisted they are more focused on winning trophies than breaking records after they surpassed the previous mark of 27 consecutive wins – set by Welsh side The New Saints – last month.
Jesus’ men were impressive as they defeated the Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr 2-1 in the semi-final on Monday. The Portuguese manager will be hoping for an encore against Karim Benzema and Al Ittihad on Thursday (21.30 UAE time).
Jesus said they were successful in keeping Ronaldo quiet in the semi-final against Nassr because tactical plans were executed effectively by his players.
“In football, everything is possible. We must be realistic when we start from scratch, particularly when it’s a final,” Jesus said after his side booked their place in the title match.
“The collective efforts of our players is our strength. The players are given a role and they executed the plans to detail on the pitch.
“Having said that, we must also be realistic because every plan doesn’t work as we would like it to. But we will strive hard to achieve that as much as possible to win this game and take home another title.”
Hilal's plans worked so well in fact that a frustrated Ronaldo finished the match facing the possibility of a two-game ban after a red card for elbowing Hilal defender Ali Al Bulaihi. And, according to reports in Saudi Arabia, the Portuguese great could receive further punishment after seeming to mock the referee as he left the field in Abu Dhabi.
Hilal had Ronaldo closely marked and they are likely to adopt a similar ploy to keep Benzema in check.
The Frenchman scored the quickest goal in the history of the Saudi Super Cup, pouncing on a poor clearance from the Al Wehda defence, to give his side a 55th minute lead and emerge 2-1 winners in Monday night's first semi-final.
That was Benzema’s first goal since his strike against Egyptian club Al Ahly in the Club World Cup in Jeddah last December. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Hilal’s Serbian midfielder, is upbeat about his team's chances.
“In games like a final there are no favourites. It can go either way. We haven’t had much time to recover from the first game against Nassr and now against Ittihad.
“As I said, in the final, anything can happen. Obviously, we are here to win the title. That's our main target now.”
Milinkovic-Savic was amazed by the reception they received from the 35,000-plus crowd in attendance for the game against Nassr.
“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this kind of atmosphere and reception in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“It was really great here, far away from Saudi. We seem to have fans all around the world. I'm getting used to it, so very good to play here in Abu Dhabi. So I'll ask the fans to come again for the final and to support us because they are very important for us.”
Marcelo Gallardo, the Ittihad manager, is looking forward to a tough battle against the Saudi Pro league leaders.
“We had a pretty good semi-final win over Al Wehda and we like to think we can take the momentum forward,” the Argentinian said.
“It’s going to be a tough test but a final can do wonders to the players. This is a great opportunity and my players are ready for it.”
The biog
Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Williams at Wimbledon
Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)
Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
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Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
