Al Ittihad are carrying the weight of a second consecutive continental final loss, having fallen to Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in the Three Continents Cup final in Pretoria, as reported following the defeat. Nuno Santos scored twice for the South African champions, while goalkeeper Ronwen Williams contributed an own goal for Ittihad's only reply. It is the second straight year the club has lost this final, following their defeat to Pyramids in 2025, and the result has sharpened scrutiny on the squad and those around it.

Off the pitch, the fallout has been pointed. Al Ittihad's official account posted a sarcastic message at the final whistle, drawing attention online, while the defeat also stirred renewed debate about past squad management decisions. A report examining the Abdul Rahman Al-Aboud situation revisited how the club handled the winger's falling out with former coach Nuno Santo in 2023, with some analysts arguing the club lost a valuable player through poor management of the dispute.

Despite the continental disappointment, the domestic picture offers genuine encouragement. Ittihad sit second in the Saudi Pro League with 17 points from seven matches, one point behind leaders Al Hilal. Their most recent league outing ended in a 1-1 draw with Al-Shamal in the AFC Champions League Elite. The next test arrives on 10 October, an away trip to face Al Hilal, a fixture that could define the early shape of the title race.