Al-Ittihad
Jeddah-based professional football club founded in 1927 and described as the oldest sports club in Saudi Arabia. The Public Investment Fund has held 75 percent since 2023 and began taking over the remaining 25 percent in August 2026.
Industry: Professional football club | Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Founded: 1927
About Al-Ittihad
Al-Ittihad Club is a professional football club based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that plays in the Saudi Pro League. The club describes itself as the oldest sports club in the country and says it was established in 1927. Saudipedia gives the founding date as 26 December 1927 and names Hamza Fitaihi, Abdel Samad Najib Al-Saadi, Ismail Zahran and others as founders. The club has football, basketball and volleyball sections, and Saudipedia says it runs about ten sports sections in total.
On the pitch, Wikipedia lists AFC Champions League titles in 2004 and 2005, described as the first club to win it twice in a row. The club won the Saudi league in 2022-23 and in the 2024-25 season. Its home matches are played at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
In June 2023 the Ministry of Sport announced that the club would become a company owned 75 percent by the Public Investment Fund and 25 percent by a non-profit organisation. On 19 August 2026 the ministry announced the start of the transfer of the non-profit's 25 percent stake to the Public Investment Fund and the dissolution of the foundation's board, which it said aims to attract investors and strengthen governance. Saudipedia says the Al-Ittihad Club Investment Company, established in 2019, is wholly owned by the club.
Domingos Soares de Oliveira is chief executive. Arab News reported in April 2024 that his appointment was announced at the end of September 2023, after he left Benfica, and that in February 2024 he joined a three-person sporting committee with sporting director Ramon Planes and coach Marcelo Gallardo. On 3 June 2026 the club extended his contract for one more season. In October 2026 its website named Reda Batterjee as chairman.
In June 2023 the club announced the signing of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid on a contract running to 2026. Its website lists Roshn as platinum sponsor and Jeddah Central Development as strategic partner, with Nike, Bolt and TCL among other sponsors. In October 2026 it announced Nawawi Studio as official creative partner for the 2026-27 season.
Leadership
- Domingos Soares de Oliveira, Chief Executive Officer
- Reda Batterjee, Chairman