Preview: Al Khaleej vs Al-Nassr - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to make it two wins in a row, Al-Khaleej welcome league leaders Al-Nassr at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on Saturday evening for Matchday 26 of the Saudi Pro League.

While the hosts are aiming to continue their improved campaign in mid-table, the visiting Knights of Najd arrive in dominant form and will be keen to maintain their advantage at the top of the standings.

Match preview

Al-Khaleej currently sit ninth in the Saudi Pro League table and have enjoyed a noticeably improved campaign compared to their previous seasons in the top flight.

Since gaining promotion, the Pearls finished 14th before recording back-to-back 12th-place finishes, but this season they have managed to establish themselves comfortably in mid-table.

However, their recent form has been inconsistent, with just one win from their last five league matches.

During that run, Al-Khaleej have recorded three defeats, one draw and one victory, though they will take confidence from their most recent outing - a 2-1 comeback win over Al-Hazem after conceding the opening goal.

Their home form has also been mixed, with five wins, two draws and five defeats from 12 matches at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, amassing 17 points on their own turf.

Georgios Donis's men will also be looking to respond after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat in the reverse fixture against Al-Nassr in November.

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Al-Nassr, meanwhile, sit top of the Saudi Pro League table and continue to lead the title race, holding a two-point advantage over Al-Ahli and a three-point gap over Al-Hilal.

The Knights of Najd have been in sensational form, winning 13 consecutive matches across all competitions while conceding just once in their last 11 games.

Their attacking strength has been one of the key reasons behind their dominance this season, with Al-Nassr scoring 66 goals - the highest tally in the league - while also boasting one of the strongest defensive records after conceding only 19 goals in 25 matches.

Jorge Jesus’s side were pushed hard in their most recent outing, narrowly defeating Neom 1-0 thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Mohamed Simakan.

Although their home form has been particularly strong this season, Jesus’s side have also been effective on the road, having picked up 31 points, with 10 wins, one draw and two losses.

Al-Nassr have finished inside the top three in each of the last three Saudi Pro League seasons, and this year they are determined to reclaim the league title, which they have not won since the 2018-19 campaign.

Recent meetings between these two sides also favour the visitors, with Al-Nassr winning each of the last six encounters against Al-Khaleej, underlining their dominance in this fixture.

Al Khaleej Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr Saudi Pro League form:

Al-Nassr form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / Ali Issa

For Al-Khaleej, Anthony Moris is expected to continue between the posts.

In front of him, Bandar Nasser, Bart Schenkeveld, Abdullah Al-Hafith and Mohammed Al-Khabrani should form the defensive line.

In attack, Saleh Al-Amri, Giorgos Masouras and Kostas Fortounis are expected to lead.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, remain without Cristiano Ronaldo, who continues to recover from a hamstring injury that has proven more serious than initially expected.

Saad Haqawi is also a doubt, having not featured since December 2025, while Sami Al-Najei remains unavailable following a long-term injury sustained earlier in the season.

Raghed Al-Najjar is ruled out after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, while Nawaf Al-Aqidi is still sidelined with a back problem.

Al Khaleej possible starting lineup:

Moris; Schenkeveld, Al-Hafith, Al-Khabrani, Nasser; Kanabah, Kourbelis, Al-Eisa; Al-Amri, Masouras, Fortounis

Al-Nassr possible starting lineup:

Bento; Martinez, Al-Amri, Simakan, Boushal; Mane, Brozovic, Angelo Gabriel, Coman; Felix, Al-Hamddan

We say: Al Khaleej 1-2 Al-Nassr

Al-Khaleej will hope home advantage can help them compete, but Al-Nassr’s exceptional form and quality make them clear favourites. The league leaders have dominated recent meetings between the sides and should have enough firepower to secure another important victory in the title race.

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