Abha

Abha has spent much of its history climbing rather than settling. Promoted to the Pro League in 2005, again in 2008, and a third time in 2019, the club found its way up more often than it managed to stay - and went back down each time. The closest it came to holding its place arrived in the 2019-20 season, when a side fresh off promotion reached the semi-final of the King's Cup and finished ninth in the Pro League, still its best league placing.

Getting there took decades. Founded in 1966 as Al-Farouk Sports Club, Abha had already won the First Division once, in 1971-72, long before the grind that followed: the Second Division in 1993-94, the Third Division in 1998-99, and the Second Division again in 1999-2000, each step clearing ground toward that first Pro League place in 2005.

The First Division has since become the club's recurring stage. Abha won it again in 2018-19, the title that sent it up for the King's Cup run, and once more in 2025-26 - a third First Division championship, and another route back to the top flight.

Home matches are played at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City, known locally as Al-Mahalah, currently holding around 25,000. Plans exist to expand it well beyond that as Abha prepares to host matches at the 2034 World Cup.

Around the city, the club answers to Zaeem Al-Janoub - Leader of the South - a name that has followed it through every trip up and down the divisions.