Thursday, 3rd September, 2020

18:15 kick-off at Education City Stadium

Al Kharaitiyat face Al Sadd in Week 1 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League. The kick-off is at 18:15 at the Education City Stadium on Thursday, 3rd September, 2020.

Al Kharaitiyat are back in the top flight after a gap of one season. The Thunders had finished at the bottom in the 2018-19 season and were relegated to the Second Division.

However, they are back in the First Division by emerging as winners in this season’s Second Division.

The rule stipulates that last-placed team in the QNB Stars League directly gets relegated to the Second Division and Second Division champions directly earn promotion to the top flight.

The play-off pits 11th-placed team in the QNB Stars League against Second Division runners-up.

Al Kharaitiyat, coached by Yousef Adam, will be keen to make an impressive start to their campaign.

On the other hand, Al Sadd, who finished third in the recently-concluded 2019-20 season, will also be eager to make a winning start to the new season.

Al Sadd won three honours in the recently-announced Qatar Football Association Awards for the 2019-20 season.

Qatar international star Akram Afif bagged the Best Player Award and also shared the Mansour Muftah Award for Top Scorer with Al Rayyan’s Yacine Brahimi. They both scored 15 goals in the league.

And Al Sadd’s Tarek Salman was adjudged the Best Under-23 Player.

Coached by Xavi Hernandez, The Wolves are sure to go all out in their bid to regain the coveted league shield.