Al-Kholood join Al-Ittihad as only unbeaten teams in Saudi Pro League title race

Only Al-Ittihad and Al-Kholood remain capable of completing an unbeaten “golden league” campaign in the 2026-27 Roshn Saudi League after both clubs avoided defeat in their opening six matches.

Al-Ittihad have won four of those games and drawn two, leaving them third in the table with 14 points. However, they are no longer the only side with an unblemished record in the competition.

Al-Kholood joined them on that list by beating Al-Shabab 2-1 on Wednesday in the sixth round of fixtures. The result lifted Al-Kholood to sixth place with 12 points, following three victories and three draws.

One of those draws came against Al-Ittihad in the opening round of the season, meaning the two unbeaten teams have already faced each other.

According to statistics provider Opta, Al-Kholood’s start represents the best opening six-match record in the club’s history in the Roshn Saudi League. Their previous best came last season, when they collected nine points from their first six games after recording three wins and three defeats.

The result also means every other team in the competition has suffered at least one defeat this season. That includes Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, leaving Al-Ittihad and Al-Kholood as the only clubs still in contention to finish the campaign as unbeaten champions.

The term “golden league” is used for a title-winning campaign in which a team does not lose a match. In the professional era, only Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab have achieved that feat in the Saudi top flight, with Al-Hilal the only club to have done so twice.

Al-Kholood’s progress is particularly notable given the club’s previous season record. Their three wins and three draws after six rounds have already surpassed the points total they managed at the same stage last term.

The club had also made history earlier in the campaign by beginning a professional-league season without losing any of their first five matches. Before the sixth-round fixture, they had recorded two wins and three draws, giving them nine points. Avoiding defeat against Al-Shabab would have guaranteed their best points return from the opening six games, matching the nine points they collected after six matches last season from three wins and three losses.

Instead, Al-Kholood went one better by securing victory, taking their tally to 12 points and maintaining their unbeaten start. That achievement places them alongside one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent clubs as the only teams with a possible route to the league’s unbeaten title.