Vissel Kobe visits Al-Ahli this Monday at Jeddah in the AFC Champions League Elite semifinal. The clash takes place at 1:15 pm Brasília time on Alinma Stadium, part of King Abdullah Sports City. The Japanese team is looking for the first final of the competition while the Saudis are defending the title won in the previous season.
Al-Ahli arrives as the favorite according to the bookmakers and has a cast full of international stars. Vissel Kobe eliminated Al-Sadd in the quarterfinals and showed consistency in the group stage by finishing second in the east zone. Nenhum on both sides records the previous direct confrontation in history.
النخبة تعرف من هو الأهلي 💫💚#الأهلي_فيسيل_كوبي | #دوري_أبطال_آسيا_للنخبة | #LetsGoWithAlAhli pic.twitter.com/rFG1tvzles
— النادي الأهلي السعودي (@ALAHLI_FC) April 20, 2026
Al-Ahli defends title at home with support from fans
The Saudi team beat Johor Darul Ta’zim 2-1 in the final knockout stage and beat Al-Duhail 1-0 in extra time before that. Coach Matthias Jaissle asked for maximum concentration for the duel. The stadium should receive a large audience in Jeddah.
Al-Ahli occupies third position in Saudi Pro League and maintains good performance in continental competitions. The squad includes names like Riyad Mahrez, Ivan Toney, Galeno and Édouard Mendy in goal. The team seeks to return to the decision after last year’s achievement.
- Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney lead the attack
- Édouard Mendy offers safety on target
- Defesa counts on Roger Ibañez and Merih Demiral
- Meio-field has Franck Kessié as reference
Vissel Kobe arrives with confidence after Asian campaign
The Japanese club advanced by eliminating Al-Sadd on penalties after a 3-3 draw. Michael Skibbe leads the team, which finished the group stage in second place in the east zone. The team has demonstrated defensive strength and quick counterattacks in recent games.
Vissel Kobe has competed in the continental competition regularly since 2020, but has not yet reached the final. The squad mixes experience and young J.League promises. The team is coming off victories in the national league, including 3-2 against Nagoya Grampus.
Escalação probable and expected formation
The formations must follow what the teams presented in recent matches. Vissel Kobe usually plays in 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Al-Ahli varies between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 with an emphasis on attack.
Para or Vissel Kobe, names like Daiya Maekawa in goal, Matheus Thuler and Tetsushi Yamakawa in defense, Yosuke Ideguchi in the middle and Yoshinori Muto and Ren Komatsu in attack appear frequently. O Al-Ahli deve ter Mendy, Ibañez, Mahrez, Toney e Galeno entre os titulares.
Onde watch the match live
The AFC Champions League Elite semi-final will be broadcast live on Brasil by channels and streaming platforms that hold rights to the competition. ESPN and Star+ usually cover AFC games on national territory. Aplicativos like DAZN in some markets and pay TV services may also show.
Verifique your operator’s network or the official AFC website to confirm the exact channels. The match takes place at 1:15 pm Brasília time, with possible real-time coverage on specialized portals.
Teams recent Histórico
Vissel Kobe have won three of their last five games across all competitions, with one draw and one defeat. Recent Resultados include J.League wins against Nagoya Grampus and Shimizu S-Pulse. The team shows a good offensive moment at home, but faces a challenge away.
Al-Ahli has recorded four wins and a draw in the last five matches. The team beat Johor Darul Ta’zim and Al-Duhail in Champions, in addition to triumphs in the national league. Performance as home team is a strong point.
Arbitragem and game conditions
Uzbek Ilgiz Tantashev referees the semi-final. The referee has experience in AFC matches and usually issues an average of around 3.9 yellow cards per game. The match takes place at Alinma Stadium, at Jeddah, with a forecast of hot and humid weather typical of April in the region, temperatures above 30°C and a low chance of rain.
Vissel Kobe needs to neutralize Al-Ahli’s offensive power to seek a positive result. The Saudis count on the home advantage and individual quality to put pressure on them from the start. The place in the final remains open until the final whistle.
