Al Duhail will take on Al Sailiya in Week 1 of 2026-2027 season Doha Bank Stars League at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The kick-off is at 5.15pm.

Both teams will go into the clash seeking a positive start and claiming their first three points of the new season.

Al Duhail, under Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi, aim to regain their former glory and a place among title contenders following a season during which the team failed to achieve substantial results given their potential and the hopes of their fans.

Meanwhile, Al Sailiya’s Qatari coach Mirghani Al Zain seeks a more stable season for his side after they had struggled in the bottom zone of the table last season.

Al Sailiya had finished their previous season in 10th place with 22 points, surviving relegation until the final stages. Their objective for the new season would be to avoid relegation from early on.

Al Duhail had finished their last season in fifth place in the league with 33 points. This season, The Red Knights will also be seen in action in the Gulf Clubs Champions League.

Al Duhail had their pre-season training camp in Amsterdam (July 20-August 10) where the coaching staff focused on physical conditioning, technical skills and tactical aspects, while also giving their new players opportunity to integrate with the rest of the squad. 

The team played several challenging friendlies during the camp, losing 1-3 to Al Taawoun of Saudi Arabia, before playing out a goalless draw with Al Fayha, also of Saudi Arabia. They then secured a resounding 10-0 victory over FC Red Black-Egalite 07 in one of their final friendlies in the Netherlands. The coaching staff used these matches to reach peak form and fitness before returning to Doha.

Al Duhail’s squad underwent significant activity during the transfer window, with a total of 12 changes: three new arrivals and nine departures. Among the new signings are goalkeeper Fahad Younis, Omar Sekou and Assim Madibo.

Al Sailiya, on the other hand, held their pre-season training camp in Bad Radkersburg, Austria, from July 18 to August 7. The team underwent an intensive training programme focused on improving physical and technical readiness and enhancing cohesion between new signings and players retained from the previous season.

The team played a series of friendly matches. They lost the first game against Al Nasr of the UAE 0-2, followed by a 1-5 defeat against Kalba of the UAE, before being edged 1-2 by Sharjah of the UAE. However, they secured a resounding 6-2 victory over Bistrita.

Al Sailiya also underwent significant changes to their squad, signing seven new players, including Andri Syahputra, Ahmed Moein, Motasem Al Bustami, Abdulaziz Al Bakri, Ibrahim Majed and Bautista Burke, in an effort to expand the coaching staff's options while adding more experience and quality to the team.

The league’s first match is of great importance to both the sides. Al Duhail realise that a strong start will be important for their aspirations to return to top of the league while Al Sailiya would also want a positive result against one of the strongest teams in the league which will give them a great morale boost to deliver a different season and to steer clear of the survival struggle scenario they experienced the previous season.