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Abha Club became the first side to secure a place in the Saudi Roshn League for the 2026-27 season after defeating Al-Taee 2-1 on April 21, 2026. The away victory in the 33rd round of the First Division League lifted the club to 71 points, eight clear of nearest rival Al-Diriyah with five fixtures left to play. Hamoud Al-Shammari scored both goals for Abha, one in the fifth minute and the other in the second half.
Voice of Emirates reported from Riyadh that Al-Shammari opened the scoring early before adding the second goal after the interval to secure the three points on the road. The result mathematically confirmed Abha’s return to the top tier after a season in which the club maintained a strong position at the top of the standings throughout. The Saudi First Division League operates as the second level in the national football structure with promotion for the top two teams and a playoff for third.
League positions at that stage showed Al-Diriyah on 63 points while Al-Ula and Al-Faisaly contested the remaining promotion places. The format awards automatic elevation to the top two finishers at the end of the 34-match campaign. This early success enabled Abha to clinch the title later in the season.
Abha Club has now won the First Division championship three times after previous successes in the 1971-72 and 2018-19 seasons. The club had been relegated from the Saudi Pro League at the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign before mounting an immediate challenge for a return. Records list the team among those with multiple promotions in the modern era of Saudi football.
The Roshn Saudi League has operated under that sponsorship since the 2022-23 season when real estate developer Roshn signed a title deal as part of broader efforts to develop the sport. Eighteen clubs compete in a double round-robin schedule that totals 34 matches per side each season. Investment tied to Vision 2030 has raised the profile of the competition through international player recruitment and infrastructure improvements.
By season’s end Abha was joined in promotion by Al-Faisaly and Al-Diriyah while Damac, Al-Okhdoud and Al-Najma dropped to the First Division. The three incoming teams will integrate into the 2026-27 Roshn Saudi League under standard relegation and promotion regulations. Such transitions form a regular part of the annual cycle across both divisions.
The 2025-26 First Division season ran from September 2025 to May 2026 with 18 participating clubs. Abha accumulated 71 points after 33 rounds en route to eventual championship honors with a total of 77 points recorded by the close. Data from sports archives confirm the league’s consistent structure and the significance of early qualification for planning ahead of the top-flight campaign.
