UAE clubs might have been battling to bridge the gap to their star-studded Saudi Arabian rivals in recent seasons.
But there are signs that sides from the Emirates could challenge for honours in the AFC Champions League again this term.
Al Ain made a major statement when they thrashed Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr 4-0 on the opening day of the AFC Champions League Elite season last month.
Now Al Wasl have their chance to make a mark against celebrated Saudi Arabian opposition, too, when Asian competition returns this week.
Over the past two seasons in continental competition, Wasl have twice been beaten 4-0 by Nassr – with Ronaldo scoring in each fixture.
And yet they will have reason for optimism when they host another expensively assembled Saudi club, Al Ahli, in Zabeel on Monday night.
On the surface, it seems like a daunting task for the Dubai side. Ahli have been champions of Asia in each of the past two seasons.
Ivan Toney, their English striker, has scored 11 goals in eight games at the start of the Saudi Pro League season. That is quite the haul, given Ahli have not exactly dominated: they have lost three of those eight matches.
Plus, many of Ahli’s players are returning to club commitments buoyed by success with the Saudi Arabia national team in the Arabian Gulf Cup.
That includes Feras Al Buraikan, the Ahli striker who scored in the final win against the UAE.
Wasl's bright start
But Wasl have made a bright start to the season themselves. They have lost just once in the UAE Pro League and are the division’s leading scorers.
They also had an uplifting three matches in the Adib Cup while many stars were away on international duty, winning all three.
Wasl can pick at the fragile confidence of their guests, who are in the early stages of a rebuild following the departure of some influential figures this summer.
Marino Pusic, the new coach, had big boots to fill when he joined the Jeddah giants ahead of this season. His predecessor, Matthias Jaissle, was wildly popular. As well he should have been, seeing as he guided them to successive AFC Champions League titles.
Pusic arrived fresh from an indifferent spell with Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi, where he underachieved with an enviable playing squad.
When he arrived at Ahli, he inherited a squad that was newly shorn of key players such as Franck Kessie and Riyad Mahrez, who was the difference between the two sides when they played in Dubai two seasons ago.
With Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi leading the line, Wasl will hope they can heap more pressure on Pusic.
من #مطار_طحنون_الدولي الزعيم يستعد للتحليق نحو البصرة لمواجهة القوة الجوية العراقي في دوري أبطال آسيا للنخبة ✈️🟣 pic.twitter.com/zkzv0gVLka
— نادي العين (@alainfcae) October 11, 2026
Al Ain look for turnaround
Al Ain might have started the Champions League campaign with the most spectacular display, crushing Ronaldo’s Nassr at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
In the meantime, though, they have had a reality check. Their lengthy unbeaten run in domestic football – they won the double last season undefeated – ended during the international break.
They lost twice in two games in the Adib Cup, first to Wasl, then more surprisingly, Ajman at home.
While that competition is the least valued among UAE’s major tournaments, and many of the side’s stars were away with their national teams, coach Vladimir Ivic was not happy with what he saw.
He will be hoping a return to the big league, with a game against Iraq’s Al Quwa Al Jawiya in Basra, will help resharpen the focus.
Shabab's revenge mission
Shabab Al Ahli, the third UAE side in Champions League Elite action this week, are going to have a taste of what might have been on Tuesday night.
The 2024/25 UAE double winners are facing Al Ittihad at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
They were within an ace of playing at that venue in the biggest fixture in continental club football last season, only to be deprived of a place in the Elite final by a shocking VAR controversy.
The player who was central to that heartache has since played at that 62,000-capacity venue – only to taste yet more woe.
Guilherme Bala, whose late equaliser against Machida Zelvia was ruled out by that VAR call in the semi-final last season, was part of the UAE side that played in the Gulf Cup final on Tuesday.
They were soundly beaten by Saudi Arabia. Now Bala and his club colleagues will be hoping they can exact some semblance of revenge when they face Ittihad.