Auckland FC travels to Jeddah this week to play AFC Champions League Winners, Al-Ahli, in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™.
Victory in the inaugural OFC Pro League last season qualified Auckland FC for this year’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup™, a tournament featuring the champions of the top club competitions of the six confederations, giving Auckland FC a chance to compete against the world’s best for the first time.
🛫Competition: FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ First Round
🏟️Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
⚔️Opponent: Al-Ahli [Saudi Arabia]
⏰Date & Time: 27th August @6am [NZT]
📺Where to Watch: DAZN
The yearly competition was first held in 2024 and replaced the old format of the FIFA Club World Cup, which was last contested in 2023 before the first edition of the expanded tournament was played in 2025.
Auckland FC enters the tournament against AFC representative Al-Ahli in the opening-round African-Asian-Pacific Cup Playoff, with the winner advancing to face CAF representative Mamelodi Sundowns in the African-Asian-Pacific Cup.
The winner of the African-Asian-Pacific Cup will play the winner of the Derby of the Americas, which is the 2nd-round fixture contested by the Concacaf Champions Cup and Copa Libertadores winners, in the Challengers Cup.
The winner of the Challengers Cup will play the winner of the UEFA Champions League, who receives a direct route to the final, with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ trophy on the line.
The FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ First Round fixture will be Auckland FC’s first competitive game since lifting the A-League Championship trophy at Go Media Stadium back in May and will be the first chance for fans to see the club back in competitive action ahead of the new A-League season.
The match will also be the first competitive fixture for new Head Coach Pedro Moreira, as well as a revamped Auckland FC squad, highlighted by the addition of All White Lachie Bayliss.
Auckland FC’s opponents in the African-Asian-Pacific Cup Playoff match, Al-Ahli, are one of the top sides in the Saudi Pro League, having won nine league titles and being one of the four founding clubs of the league.
The Saudi club recently took their local success to the continental stage, winning the AFC Champions League Elite for the first time in 2024-25 and defending their title again in 2025-26, qualifying them for the 2025 & 2026 editions of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™.
Al-Ahli boast a wealth of international talent, with Ivan Toney [England], Edouard Mendy [Senegal] and Roger Ibañez [Brazil] all featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Former FC Porto star Galeno, who scored the opening goal in Al-Ahli’s first AFC Champions League Elite triumph, is another recognisable name in their star-studded lineup.
With the contest marking the club’s first appearance on the world stage, it’s all set up to be a special night in the desert, so set your alarms and support the boys in what will be a memorable moment for the club.
