Domestic Football Returns for New Season
Muharraq will begin the defence of both their league and cup crowns after the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) unveiled the fixtures for the 2026-27 domestic season, including the opening 11 rounds of the Nasser bin Hamad Premier League and the draw for His Majesty the King's Cup.
The new Premier League season gets underway on August 27, while the King's Cup preliminary rounds are scheduled to begin on December 14.
Double Champions
Muharraq enter the campaign as the team to beat after completing a historic domestic double last season. The Red Wolves secured back-to-back Nasser bin Hamad Premier League titles and a record-extending 35th league crown, edging Al Khaldiya by just a single point after a dramatic final day.
They also lifted their 20th His Majesty the King's Cup, coming from behind to defeat Riffa 2-1 in the final thanks to goals from Mohammed Al Hardan and Elliot Jorge Simoes Inacio. Meanwhile, Riffa claimed the Khalid bin Hamad Cup after defeating Muharraq on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the final.
Muharraq will head into the new season under new leadership following the departure of Portuguese coach Fernando Manuel de Jesus Santos. Bahraini coach Isa Al Saadoon has taken charge and will look to build on the club's remarkable success.
Fresh Faces
Elsewhere, Riffa continue under the guidance of Kuwaiti coach Mohammed Mashaan, while Vinicius Suarez remains in charge of A'ali. Shokri Al Bajawi leads Al Hidd, Ismail Karami heads Manama, Hisham Al Mahoozi takes charge of East Riffa, Jorvan Vieira is at the helm of Al Ahli, and Fawzi Ayyash and Hussain Sayed Isa will guide Al Ettifaq and Sitra, respectively.
Al Khaldiya, Al Malkiya and Al Najma are currently the only Premier League clubs yet to appoint head coaches ahead of the new campaign.
The 2025-26 season also saw major movement between the divisions. Al Ettifaq, Manama and East Riffa secured promotion to the Premier League, while Al Najma retained their top-flight status through the promotion/relegation play-offs. Bahrain Club, Budaiya and Al Shabab were relegated to the First Division.
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Nasser bin Hamad Premier League
Rounds 1-11 Fixtures
|
Round |
Fixtures |
|
1 |
Al Hidd vs East Riffa • Al Malkiya vs Sitra • Al Khaldiya vs Al Najma • Manama vs A'ali • Al Ettifaq vs Riffa • Al Ahli vs Muharraq |
|
2 |
Al Ahli vs Al Hidd • Muharraq vs Al Ettifaq • Riffa vs Manama • A'ali vs Al Khaldiya • Al Najma vs Al Malkiya • Sitra vs East Riffa |
|
3 |
Al Hidd vs Sitra • East Riffa vs Al Najma • Al Malkiya vs A'ali • Al Khaldiya vs Riffa • Manama vs Muharraq • Al Ettifaq vs Al Ahli |
|
4 |
Al Ettifaq vs Al Hidd • Al Ahli vs Manama • Muharraq vs Al Khaldiya • Riffa vs Al Malkiya • A'ali vs East Riffa • Al Najma vs Sitra |
|
5 |
Al Hidd vs Al Najma • Sitra vs A'ali • East Riffa vs Riffa • Al Malkiya vs Muharraq • Al Khaldiya vs Al Ahli • Manama vs Al Ettifaq |
|
6 |
Manama vs Al Hidd • Al Ettifaq vs Al Khaldiya • Al Ahli vs Al Malkiya • Muharraq vs East Riffa • Riffa vs Sitra • A'ali vs Al Najma |
|
7 |
Al Hidd vs A'ali • Al Najma vs Riffa • Sitra vs Muharraq • East Riffa vs Al Ahli • Al Malkiya vs Al Ettifaq • Al Khaldiya vs Manama |
|
8 |
Al Khaldiya vs Al Hidd • Manama vs Al Malkiya • Al Ettifaq vs East Riffa • Al Ahli vs Sitra • Muharraq vs Al Najma • Riffa vs A'ali |
|
9 |
Al Hidd vs Riffa • A'ali vs Muharraq • Al Najma vs Al Ahli • Sitra vs Al Ettifaq • East Riffa vs Manama • Al Malkiya vs Al Khaldiya |
|
10 |
Al Malkiya vs Al Hidd • Al Khaldiya vs East Riffa • Manama vs Sitra • Al Ettifaq vs Al Najma • Al Ahli vs A'ali • Muharraq vs Riffa |
|
11 |
Al Hidd vs Muharraq • Riffa vs Al Ahli • A'ali vs Al Ettifaq • Al Najma vs Manama • Sitra vs Al Khaldiya • East Riffa vs Al Malkiya |
His Majesty the King's Cup
2026-27 Draw
|
Stage |
Fixtures |
|
Preliminary Round 1 |
Al Busaiteen vs Qalali • Al Tadhamun vs Ittihad Al Reef • Um Al Hassam vs Isa Town • Al Hala vs Buri |
|
Preliminary Round 2 |
Winner of Match 1 vs Budaiya • Winner of Match 4 vs Al Ittihad • Al Shabab vs Winner of Match 2 • Winner of Match 3 vs Bahrain Club |
|
Round of 16 |
Riffa vs Manama • Winner of Preliminary 7 vs Winner of Preliminary 6 • A'ali vs Winner of Preliminary 5 • Al Ettifaq vs Al Khaldiya • Muharraq vs Al Ahli • East Riffa vs Al Najma • Sitra vs Winner of Preliminary 8 • Al Hidd vs Al Malkiya |
|
Quarter-finals |
Winners of Round of 16 matches advance |
|
Semi-finals |
Winners of Quarter-finals advance |
|
Final |
Semi-final winners meet for the trophy |
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