Al-Nassr to lead Arab Club Champions Cup return in Cairo in 2027

The Arab Club Champions Cup is set to return in the summer of 2027, with defending champions Al-Nassr expected to headline the tournament in Cairo after a four-year absence.

The competition will be staged in the Egyptian capital and is expected to feature leading clubs from across the Arab world, according to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

Al-Nassr will take part as holders after defeating fellow Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in the final of the previous edition. The tournament was last held in Saudi Arabia in 2023, when a number of the region’s leading clubs competed.

The proposed return would see Al-Nassr attempt to retain the title, although details of the competition’s format and the number of participating teams have not yet been announced.

According to the report, the next tournament will include clubs that have won their domestic leagues. It is not yet clear how many national champions will be involved or how qualification for the event will be organised.

The Arab Club Champions Cup has been linked with a return on several occasions in recent years, but those plans have not come to fruition. The competition’s revival has been complicated by a crowded summer football calendar, which has included major events such as the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 international teams’ competitions.

Cairo is now expected to provide the setting for the tournament’s return, although the plans remain dependent on the final arrangements being confirmed. Al-Nassr’s participation would give the event a prominent defending champion and a clear contender for the title when the competition resumes.