The King Cup is a very different knockout football tournament that is held in Saudi Arabia. It is a tournament in which players from various nations come under one platform to win the trophy. This tournament is of immense significance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because football is one of the major sports in the Kingdom, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) organizes it at the King’s level. In this article, we will discuss King Cup of Champions Players And the most extraordinary participants of the King Cup of Champions.
History of the King Cup of Champions.
The beginning of the King Cup dates back to 1957, as it was organized that year with the name His Majesty’s Cup. It took place as the main Saudi tournament for years, but was halted in 1990. In 2008, the contest was revived as the King Cup of Champions and invited high-performing teams to participate. Towards the end of 2014, it got back to its earlier structure and was given a new name, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Cup, again honoring the Saudi king’s title.
Key Milestones of King Cup of Champions.
| Year | Event |
| 1957 | Tournament launched as His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1990 | Tournament halted |
| 2008 | Re-launched as King Cup of Champions |
| 2014 | Officially renamed as The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2025 | Historical records revised; some past titles reclassified |
Prize Money and Qualification
Winning the King’s Cup isn’t just about prestige. The financial rewards and future opportunities are significant.
Prize Distribution
| Position | Reward (Saudi Riyals) |
| Champions | 5,500,000 |
| Runners-up | 4,000,000 |
AFC Qualification Rules
- A team that wins the King Cup goes directly into the AFC Champions League Two.
- If the league champion also ranks in the top 3 in the Saudi Pro League and qualifies for AFC Champions League Elite, the 4th place club in the league takes the AFC Champions League Two place.
King Cup of Champions Players: Year-wise
Below is a table listing all the winners from the beginning of the competition:
List of King Cup Winners by Year
| Year | Winning Team | Edition Name |
| 1957 | Al-Wehda | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1966 | Al-Wehda | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1967 | Al-Ittihad | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1968 | Al-Ettifaq | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1969 | Al-Ahli | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1976 | Al-Nassr | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1977 | Al-Ahli | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1978 | Al-Ahli | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1979 | Al-Ahli | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1980 | Al-Hilal | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1981 | Al-Nassr | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1982 | Al-Hilal | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1983 | Al-Ahli | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1984 | Al-Hilal | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1985 | Al-Ettifaq | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1986 | Al-Nassr | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1987 | Al-Nassr | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1988 | Al-Ittihad | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1989 | Al-Hilal | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 1990 | Al-Nassr | His Majesty’s Cup |
| 2008 | Al-Shabab | King Cup of Champions |
| 2009 | Al-Shabab | King Cup of Champions |
| 2010 | Al-Ittihad | King Cup of Champions |
| 2011 | Al-Ahli | King Cup of Champions |
| 2012 | Al-Ahli | King Cup of Champions |
| 2013 | Al-Ittihad | King Cup of Champions |
| 2014 | Al-Shabab | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2015 | Al-Hilal | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2016 | Al-Ahli | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2017 | Al-Hilal | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2018 | Al-Ittihad | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2019 | Al-Taawoun | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2020 | Al-Hilal | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2021 | Al-Faisaly | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2022 | Al-Fayha | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2023 | Al-Hilal | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
| 2024 | Al-Hilal | Custodian of Two Holy Mosques’ Cup |
King Cup of Champions Players: Top Performers by Club
Here are the clubs with the most victories in the tournament’s history:
| Club | Titles | Notable Years |
| Al-Ahli | 13 | 1969, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2011, 2012, 2016 |
| Al-Hilal | 11 | 1980, 1982, 1984, 2015, 2017, 2023, 2024 |
| Al-Ittihad | 9 | 1967, 1988, 2010, 2013, 2018 |
| Al-Nassr | 5 | 1976, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1990 |
| Al-Shabab | 3 | 2008, 2009, 2014 |
| Al-Ettifaq | 2 | 1968, 1985 |
| Al-Wehda | 2 | 1957, 1966 |
| Al-Taawoun | 1 | 2019 |
| Al-Faisaly | 1 | 2021 |
| Al-Fayha | 1 | 2022 |
Hat-Trick Heroes of the King Cup
Achieving a hat trick in a knockout game is very special and requires outstanding skills. This is the list of players who have scored three or more goals in a King’s Cup game.
Hat-Trick Scorers in King Cup
| Player | Team | Opponent | Scoreline | Year |
| Youssef Anbar | Ohod | Al-Nahda | 4–1 | 1989 |
| Saad Al-Harthi | Al-Nassr | Al-Ahli | 3–0 | 2010 |
| Victor Simões (Brazil) | Al-Ahli | Al-Nassr | 3–1 | 2010 |
| Mokhtar Fallatah | Al-Wehda | Al-Ettifaq | 4–3 | 2011 |
| Nasser Al-Shamrani | Al-Hilal | Al-Faisaly | 3–1 | 2015 |
| Adrian Mierzejewski | Al-Nassr | Al-Diriyah | 7–0 | 2016 |
| Patrick Eze (Nigeria) | Al-Qadsiah | Al-Safa | 4–0 | 2017 |
| Ismael Bangoura (Guinea) | Al-Raed | Al-Jabalain | 3–0 | 2017 |
| Omar Kharbin (Syria) | Al-Hilal | Al-Taawoun | 4–3 | 2017 |
| Mohammed Al-Saiari | Al-Ettifaq | Al-Tai | 6–0 | 2018 |
| Abderrazak Hamdallah | Al-Nassr | Al-Jandal | 6–0 | 2019 |
| Ahmed Abdu Jaber | Al-Wehda | Al-Nairyah | 6–1 | 2019 |
| Gelmin Rivas (Venezuela) | Al-Hilal | Al-Dera’a | 9–0 | 2019 |
| Bafetimbi Gomis (France) | Al-Hilal | Al-Ansar | 5–0 | 2019 |
| Hazaa Al-Hazaa | Al-Ettifaq | Al-Amjad | 9–1 | 2019 |
| Julio Tavares (Cape Verde) | Al-Faisaly | Al-Taawoun | 3–2 | 2021 |
Conclusion
The King Cup goes beyond being a tournament; it reminds people of how much they love and value their football culture in Saudi Arabia. Because of its legendary players, thrilling finals, and promising partners, the competition faces a bright future. When Saudi football sets its focus on international stages, the King Cup is a key event in the domestic league and a main goal for both clubs and fans every year.
FAQs
Ans. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has arranged the seasonal tournament called King’s Cup since 1957.
Ans.. 13 King Cup titles held by Al-Ahli make it the most successful team the competition has seen.
Ans. The first-place team gets a payment of 5.5 million Saudi Riyals and qualification for the AFC Champions League Two.
Ans. The King Cup is played in a knockout system, whereas in the Saudi Pro League each team scores points by beating their opponents over the season.
Ans. Yes, there have been hat-tricks scored by players such as Bafetimbi Gomis for Al-Hilal and Abderrazak Hamdallah for Al-Nassr.