Preview: Al Ittihad vs Al Quadisia - prediction, team news, lineups

Al-Ittihad can assure themselves a place in the qualifying phase of next season’s AFC Champions League Elite when they welcome Al Qadsia to King Abdullah Sports Stadium on Thursday.

Heading into this fixture, Al-Amid sit fifth in the Saudi Pro League table after narrowly losing 3-2 at Al-Shabab on Sunday, with Al Qadsia sitting fourth following a 2-0 win at home to Al-Hazem.

Match preview

On Thursday, Al-Ittihad will try to salvage what has been a disappointing domestic campaign by all accounts, given their expectations at the start of this season.

Their hopes of retaining the Saudi Pro League title faded months ago, though this team have earned points in four of their previous five league games.

With a victory on Thursday, they would guarantee themselves a place in the upcoming Champions League Elite qualifiers.

A loss combined with a victory by Al-Taawoun would drop Sergio Conceicao’s men into the Champions League Two group stage and put them in sixth, their worst finish in this competition since 2019-20 (11th).

This decade, they have not lost their final Saudi Pro League match on home soil, having emerged victorious on those three previous occasions.

The Jeddah club have won their previous three home contests versus Al Qadsia across all competitions, netting a combined seven goals over that stretch.

It has been another strong season for Al Qadsia, as they are quickly establishing themselves as a mainstay in the top flight of Saudi football.

Under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers since last December, this team have flourished, suffering just one defeat in this competition all year.

They are locked into fourth place and a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite, having won eight of their 10 Pro League matches away from home in 2026.

On Thursday, they can stretch their winning run in the top-flight to four matches and collect maximum points in their final domestic away fixture for the second time over the past three seasons.

In 2026, this side have suffered just one defeat on the road in this competition when scoring the opening goal, losing 3-2 at Al-Ettifaq in early April.

With a victory on Thursday, this team will have collected a league double against Al-Ittihad in the same campaign for the first time in the 21st century.

Al Ittihad Saudi Pro League form:

Al Quadisia Saudi Pro League form:

Team News

For this final outing of the season, Al-Ittihad will be missing Mohamedou Doumbia, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament tear, while Saad Al-Mousa is out with an ankle injury.

Houssem Aouar and Danilo scored second-half goals for them on matchday 33, with the former netting his team-leading eighth of the Pro League campaign.

On the other hand, Al Qadsia will be without Waleed Al-Ahmed, who is continuing to rehabilitate from a cruciate ligament tear.

Julian Quinones notched the winner for them against Al-Hazem, his 29th of the domestic season, and Ali Hazazi netted an insurance marker five minutes before the 90.

Al Ittihad possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Kadesh, Simic, Danilo, Al-Julaydan; Mitaj, Al-Nashri, Fabinho, Aouar; Al-Aboud, Diaby

Al Quadisia possible starting lineup:

Casteels; Thakri, Nacho, Alvarez; Nandez; Hazazi, Otavio, Al-Juwayr, Baah; Quinones, Al-Salem

We say: Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Quadisia

Rodgers has unlocked the attacking potential of Al Qadsia, who are loaded with depth and creativity, and we believe will find a way through Al-Ittihad on this final matchday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.