October’s Fireworks: Al Hilal’s Five-Game October Gauntlet

October’s Fiery Schedule for Al Hilal

Al Hilal enters October with a high‑voltage run of fixtures. Although the champions won’t play a league match until October 18, they will log four league games in a tight window, potentially reaching five as the month winds down.

Clash with Ettifaq

The month opens for Hilal with a tough test away to Ettifaq at their home ground in Dammam, on Saturday October 18, with kick‑off around 6:45 pm Cairo/Makkah time and 7:45 pm Abu Dhabi time. Hilal sit 6th in the table with 8 points from two wins and two draws, four points off the pace set by leaders. Ettifaq sit 7th with 7 points after two wins, a draw and a single loss. Historically, Hilal have dominated this fixture in the league, securing 21 wins in 34 meetings and a combined 62 goals to Ettifaq’s 24.

Nevertheless, October’s opener is never a walkover—the kind of test that makes you want to polish the trophy case before the coffee cools.

Asian Clash with Al‑Sadd

The sole Asian appearance for Hilal this month is a date with Al‑Sadd in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage, at Kingdom Arena, on Tuesday October 21, at 9:15 pm Cairo/Makkah time and 10:15 pm Abu Dhabi time. Hilal top the West Group with 6 points after wins over Duhail and Nasaf. Al‑Sadd have 2 points after two draws, placing them seventh in the group. Recent meetings between Hilal and Al‑Sadd are typically tight, a pattern evident in the last five encounters where each side claimed two wins and one draw, with Hilal scoring 9 goals to Sadd’s 8.

History aside, this is a clash many football fans circle on the calendar as a potential continental turning point.

Knee‑deep in cups: King’s Cup Path

Following the ACL date, Hilal’s domestic cup campaign continues with a King's Cup Round of 16 tie at Akhdoud, scheduled for October 28 at Najran’s Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Stadium. The match is set for 6:10 pm Cairo/Makkah time and 7:10 pm Abu Dhabi time. Compared with the league, the Cup looks a touch more forgiving, with Hilal historically resting an edge over Akhdoud since their promotion, having won all meetings in recent seasons and outscoring them 16–1 across those games.

Two players to watch, historically, are the Brazilians Marcus Leonardo and the Serbian Serge Milinkovic-Savic, each having left their mark on rivalries and cup runs alike, while the older guard of the team—Ecuadorian Eduardo (Eduardo) and Tiago Neves—continue to be quiet assassins of the playmaking kind.

Derby Potential vs Al‑Shabab

Should October allow, Hilal could close the month with a fiery derby against Al‑Shabab, though the exact date remains to be confirmed. The league’s schedule hints at either October 31 or November 1. In direct duels, Hilal hold a strong record against Al‑Shabab, having claimed 19 wins in 34 league meetings with 10 draws, while Shabab have 5 wins. Hilal have struck 61 goals against Shabab’s 34 in those clashes, underscoring the asymmetry that often makes this fixture so enthralling.

Historically, the 2019 AFC Champions League semi-final remains one of the standout chapters in this rivalry: Hilal won 4–1 in Doha, Saddled with a 4–2 defeat in Riyadh, a result that did not tilt the tie in Hilal’s favor but remains a memorable reminder that the battles are rarely decided on paper.

Roadmap to glory

Looking beyond October’s calendar, Hilal’s overall march to recapture the league crown—a title they’ve often owned during the modern era—depends on balancing domestic urgency with continental firepower. The team’s record—34 league clashes with 21 wins, 7 draws, and 6 losses—speaks to a club accustomed to pressure, but not immune to it. The October slate tests the team’s depth, tactical flexibility, and mental edge, all while keeping the clock ticking toward a potential trophy haul.

Sniper humour to close

Punchline 1: If October’s goals were bullets, Hilal’s rifle would be the calendar—precision timed, and always loaded for the shot of the night. Punchline 2: If the season were a sniper rifle, Hilal would be the guy who shoots the schedule and still has time to autograph the victory shirts. And yes, the only thing sharper than their strikers is their ability to calendar-weekend-breathe life into a trophy chase.