Al Markhiya face Al Rayyan in Week 1 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League on Thursday, August 17, 2023. The kick-off is at 8.30pm at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Both teams have many quality players in the starting lineup, which will provide a great and enjoyable match for the fans.

After finishing last season in seventh place, Al Markhiya entered the ‘American era’ by contracting with American coach Anthony Hudson to become the first American coach to lead a Qatari club in the Stars League.

Al Markhiya have shored up the team ahead of the season with the inclusion of, most notably, Tamim Al Muhaiza, Moayad Hassan, Abdulaziz Metwally, and Mohammed Al Abbasi. There are also a number of foreign professionals among them, including Portuguese Rochinha, who came in from Sporting Lisbon, Gambian striker Yousufa Nji from Portuguese club Boavista, Portuguese midfielder Joao Teixeira and Dutch rising star Novel Benes.

On the other hand, Al Rayyan, who finished last season in ninth place, are under new Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim. The team is looking forward to returning to the top ranks after a season in which they suffered and came very close to the relegation zone.

Al Rayyan have boosted their ranks by including a number of foreign professionals, the last of whom was the Brazilian Roger Geddes. Before that, they got Spaniard Rodrigo Moreno from Leeds United, England; the Brazilian Gabriel Pereira from New York City, and Tiago Mendez from French club Lyon. The foreign signings from last season, Moroccan Soufiane Boufal and Japanese Shogo Taniguchi, are continuing with the team as well.

Locally, Al Rayyan included a group of players led by Bassam Al Rawi, who came from Al Duhail, and goalkeeper Fahd Al Qasimi, Ali Jassemi, Adel Badr and Ahmed Al Minhali.