King Cup

The King Cup or also known as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Cup, is a Saudi Arabian knockout competition for clubs from that country. It is the oldest active tournament in Saudi Arabia, following the cancellation of the Crown Prince’s Cup. The competition was established in 1957 and came to a halt in 1990, but it was brought back by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation in 2007.

Each year, the competition welcomes all teams from the Saudi Pro League and fourteen from the Saudi Arabian First Division. The SAFF holds a draw before the start of each round, making it more interesting to see which side travel where to face their next rivals. All rounds are played as one-leg ties, using extra time and penalties to determine the winner in case the game is level after 90 minutes.

The winner of the competition earns the right to represent Saudi Arabian soccer in a continental competition: the AFC Champions League Two. Added to that reward, the winner also enters the Saudi Super Cup against the team that wins the Saudi Pro League.

Over the years, the competition has seen teams such as Al Ahli, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al Nassr winning it multiple times. In fact, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad share a record by getting a three-peat each.