Al Ahli Shifts Gears for King Cup Showdown: Foreign Referees on the Table as Derby Sparks Debate
9 March 2026
Context Before the Semi-Final
The Al Ahli board acted quickly ahead of the King Cup semi-final against Al Hilal, to be played at Enmaa Stadium.
Al Hilal is set to visit Al Ahli in a high-stakes King Cup tie on March 18 at Enmaa Stadium.
Foreign Referee Request
According to the Saudi newspaper Al Yaom, reliable sources say the management formally submitted a request to the Saudi Football Federation to bring in a foreign refereeing crew for the match.
This move reportedly reflects the coach Matthias Jaissle's preference, submitted officially in recent days.
Al Ahli previously claimed a key win in the Saudi Roshen League, beating derby rivals Ittihad Jeddah 3-1 at the same Enmaa Stadium.
Punchlines: If they bring in foreign referees, I guess the whistle will need an international visa. And if the ball asks for a passport, it gets a yellow card.
