Al Hilal Beat Al Gharafa 2-1 in ACL Elite Opener

Al Hilal launched their AFC Champions League Elite 2026–2027 campaign with a 2–1 victory over Qatar's Al Gharafa on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The matchday 1 fixture in the West zone kicked off at 21:15 local time before a crowd of around 20,140 spectators.

Rúben Neves opened the scoring from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, converting in the 45+3 minute to send the hosts into the break in front. Sergej Milinković-Savić doubled the lead around the 72nd minute and was later named player of the match. Al Gharafa pulled one back through Alaa Aladdin Hassan deep in stoppage time, in the 90+2 minute, but it proved too late to change the result.

The encounter was tense throughout and featured heated incidents, with the referee showing two red cards — one to each side. Despite the drama, Al Hilal held on to claim all three points and a positive start to their Asian campaign.

The win extended the club's strong home form in September 2026 and puts them among the early leaders in their group. For fans in Riyadh, it also confirms Kingdom Arena's growing role as a key venue for top-tier continental football, with the football configuration currently seating between 26,000 and 30,000.

Tickets for Al Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite home matches at Kingdom Arena are sold through official club and league ticketing platforms, which require a Saudi mobile number and ID or Iqama to register. Supporters create an account using national digital ID verification, select the match and seat category, then pay online via Mada, credit card or Apple Pay, receiving an e-ticket with a QR code for entry. Public ticket prices for major matches typically start from around 40–75 SAR for behind-goal and upper stands.

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