FWZ stun DR7 as Kings League MENA opens with 44 goals

Kings League MENA’s opening Split 1 matchday delivered 44 goals, penalty shootouts and a major upset as FWZ defeated Kings Cup MENA holders DR7 5-2 at Kool Arena in Boulevard Riyadh.

The first round began on Friday, 18 September, with all 10 participating teams in action across five matches. The opening night featured high-scoring games, a closely fought debut for new side Rising Peaks, a decisive Jordanian derby and a dramatic final fixture.

Ultra Chmicha, led by content creator Elias El Maliki, started the competition with an 8-4 victory over Turbo, captained by content creator Tarboon. The match was an attacking contest from the outset, with 12 goals scored. Turbo reached the semi-finals of last year’s Kings Cup MENA.

Rising Peaks were taken to a shootout by ABO FC in their first appearance in Kings League MENA. The new team, led by content creator Abdulrahman Al-Shahri, stayed in contention throughout a 5-5 draw in normal time against Abu Fella’s ABO FC.

ABO FC eventually secured the points by winning the shootout 3-1. Rising Peaks’ performance suggested they will provide strong opposition during the opening round, despite failing to claim victory on their competition debut.

Red Zone dominate Jordanian derby

The meeting between 3BS and Red Zone was one of the night’s standout fixtures and marked the first Kings League encounter between Jordan internationals Yazan Al-Naimat and Ali Olwan, who serve as co-presidents of their respective teams.

Red Zone, led by content creator Maherco and Olwan, took control and recorded a 7-1 win over 3BS, headed by Absi and Al-Naimat. The emphatic result gave Red Zone an early statement victory in the competition.

Bakhira FC also began with a win, edging RA2 4-3. The side led by content creators Younes Zarou and Achraf Sabiri held on against Raed’s team in another close contest.

The evening ended with the biggest surprise of the opening matchday. FWZ defeated DR7, the reigning Kings Cup MENA champions, 5-2 in a match that saw both team presidents miss penalty kicks.

The result also gave FWZ, led by content creator Fawaz, revenge for their defeat by Derb7h’s DR7 in the 2025 Kings Cup MENA final.

The second matchday of Split 1 will take place at Kool Arena on Monday, 21 September. Each night is divided into three ticketed sessions: 7:00pm to 9:00pm, 9:00pm to 11:00pm and 11:00pm to 12:00am Saudi Arabia time.

Fans across the region can watch the matches for free through the teams’ personal channels and the official Kings League MENA channels on Kick, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. The tournament is also being broadcast across the Middle East and North Africa by official media partner MBC through MBC Action and Shahid.

Kings League MENA is a joint project between Kings League and SARG Sports Investments, bringing together teams from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. After the tournament’s success in 2025, the first stage returns to Kool Arena in Riyadh during September and October 2026.