Al Qadsia Sporting Club () is a professional football club based in Kuwait City. Al Qadsia was founded in 1953 as Al-Jazira, before being renamed to Al Qadsia SC on 20 October 1960. Qadsia currently plays in the Kuwait Premier League and has won the league 17 times. Qadsia plays in the Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, which is in Hawalli, and is the third largest stadium in Kuwait.
History
Al Qadsia was one of the first Kuwaiti teams to be established, alongside Al-Arabi and Kuwait SC. They started playing in 1961–62 and finished second for three consecutive seasons, behind Al-Arabi, who started the Kuwaiti El Clásico between them. Their first league title came in 1968–69.
1960s The 1961/62 season was the first official for Kuwaiti football. Qadsia was second in the league and Prince Cup, under the leadership of coach Mohammed Al-Hamad. The team won Kuwaiti league title in 1963–64. The team lost in the Prince Cup 1963–64 final against Al-Arabi by 2–0. In 1964–65 Egyptian coach Omar Khairy was appointed, and the team won second place. On 8 January 1965, Qadsia won in the 1964–65 Prince Cup final. In the season 1965–66 coach Aladdin Niazi and won second place in the league for fifth consecutive time, this time behind the Al-Arabi, and team went out against Salmiya in the quarterfinals of Prince Cup. In the season of 1966–67, under the leadership of coach Jean Cristo, the club won Prince Cup 1966–67 for the second time, after beating Al-Arabi by 4–2. In 1967, the team won fourth place in the Kuwaiti league, and on 12 January 1968 Al-Qadisiya defeated Al-Arabi by 2–1 in the Prince Cup final. In 1968–69 Qadsia won the Kuwait league title for the first time in its history. In the 1969–70 season club won third league place and emerged from the quarter-finals of Prince Cup by Yarmouk, which won the title later.
1970s
In the 1970–71 season under the leadership of coach Ron Lewin, Al Qadsia won league title 1970–71 for the second time. The team went out of the cup quarter-final against Al-Arabi in the penalty shootout. In 1971–72 season, team emerged from the semi-finals of the 1971–72 league playoffs. However, Qadsia won the Prince's Cup for the first time in their history. In the 1972–73 season, the team finished fourth in Group A with 6 points and emerged from the league competition. In 1972–73, the team emerged from the cup quarter-finals after losing to Al Arabi. The team won third place in the Kuwaiti league 1973–74. In Prince Cup, Qadsia defeated Kuwait SC. In the 1974–75 season, the tournament was not organized, but Federation Cup was established and Qadsia came in third place. The team won Kuwaiti league 1974–75 for the fifth time in its history, and in the Prince Cup, Qadsia defeated Kuwait Club by 2–0, scored by Faisal Al-Dakhil. Qadsia won the next league title in 1975–76 without losing any match, and in the Prince Cup they lost to Kuwait SC. The 1976–77 league championship returned again and the team won second place behind Kuwait SC, after losing 5–3 in the final. As coach Ron Lewin returned and the team won the third place in the league, and in the Prince Cup 1978–79, the club managed to win the title after defeating Kazma.
1980s In the 1980–81 season they finished third in the league, and in the Prince Cup they lost the quarter-finals to Kuwait Club. In 1982–83, Al Qadsia was in sixth league place and third place in the Prince Cup. In the 1983–84 season, coach Milan Milanić was appointed. In the first season the team settled in fifth league place, and in Prince Cup reached quarter-finals. In the 1984–85 season, Muayad Al-Haddad moved to Qadsia from Kheitan Club. The team was in fifth place, and in the Prince's Cup was fourth place. In 1985–86 season, coach Bob Campbell was appointed. The team finished second in league behind Kazma, and in Prince Cup they finished third. In 1986–87 season, Kuwaiti coach Saleh Zakaria was appointed, the team finished fourth in the league and in Prince Cup the team emerged from the quarter-finals after losing to Al-Nasr in penalties. In 1987, Luiz Felipe Scolari was coach of the team, and the team settled in seventh place in the Kuwaiti league, which is the worst ever position of the club. In the Prince Cup the team went out in the preliminary round after losing against Al-Jahra in a penalty shootout. In 1988–89 season, the team finished fourth in the Kuwaiti league. In the Prince Cup, they won title for the first time since 1978–79. Qadsia won the final against Al-Arabi Club 2–0. In the Prince Cup 1989–90, the team got third place. They also participated in the Silver Jubilee Championship, together with Al Arabi Club, Al Salmiya Club, Al Muharraq Club, Al Zawraa Club, and Zamalek SC. Qadsia and Zamalek qualified for the final, Qadsia won 1–0.
1990s In the 1990s, period that followed Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, team appointed the Brazilian coach Fola in the 1991–92 season. Al Qadsia won first place in the league, for the seventh time. In the 1992–93 season, after Brazilian coach Scolari returned, they came second in the Kuwaiti Confederation Cup, losing in the final against Kuwait Club, and won second place in the Kuwaiti league behind Al Arabi Club. In 1993 club won new championship, the Crown Prince Cup, and got second place in the league behind Kazma. In the Prince Cup 1993–94 Qadsia won the championship title after beating Al-Tadamon Club 2–1. The club did not compete in the Crown. In the 1995/96 season, coach Idanaldo Patricio took charge of the club. Qadsia won third league place. In the Prince Cup 1996/97 Qadsia won second place, after losing to Kazma 2–0. In the 1997/98 season Jorvan Vieira was appointed as coach. Qadsia came out in the quarter-final against Kazma, who won the title later. In the season of 1998/1999, Qadsia won league title for eighth time in its history, after winning the final game against Al-Tadamon Club. In Prince's Cup Qadsia went out of the quarter-finals against Al-Sahel. In 1999/2000 season Mohamed Ibrahim took over the club, and the team won second league place. In the Prince Cup, Qadsia was fourth. In Gulf Clubs Cup, Qadsia won the championship for the first time in the club's history.
2010s and 2020s Al Qadsia has been to the final of the AFC Cup twice (2010 and 2013), but lost both, first to Al-Ittihad Aleppo and second to Kuwait SC. Al Qadsia won the 2014 AFC Cup for the first time, in their third final appearance. Qadsia is first club in Kuwait to win four trophies in a year, in the 2013–14 season (Kuwait Super Cup, Kuwait Crown Prince Cup, Kuwait Premier League, and AFC Cup). The second half of the decade witnessed a decline in Al-Qadsia's performance and an unusual absence from winning titles. During the following ten years (2014–2024), the club secured only one league title and two Emir Cup titles.
Honours
TypeCompetitionTitle(s)SeasonsDomesticKuwait Premier League17 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16Kuwait Emir Cup17 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1993–94, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2023–24Kuwait Crown Prince Cup9 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2017–18Kuwait Super Cup7 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2025–26Kuwait Federation Cup (Defunct)6 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2022–23Al-Khurafi Cup (Defunct)2 2002–03, 2005–06ContinentAFC Cup1 2014GCC Champions League2 2000, 2005
shared record
Futsal
Kuwaiti Futsal League: 2 2012–13, 2013–14
Kuwait Futsal Federation Cup: 5 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
Kuwait Futsal Super Cup: 3 2013, 2014, 2016
Current squad
(captain)
Performance in AFC competitions AFC Champions League: 4 appearances 2006: Semi-finals 2008: Quarter-finals 2014: 3rd round qualifying 2015: 3rd round qualifying
AFC Cup: 8 appearances
2010: Runners-up 2011: Round of 16 2012: Round of 16 2013: Runners-up 2014: Winner 2015: Semifinal 2019: Group stage 2020: Cancelled
Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance 2000: First round (withdrew)
Asian Cup Winners Cup: 1 appearances 1994–95: Second round (withdrew)
SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAway1991Asian Cup Winners Cup1st roundAl Faisaly--1995Asian Cup Winners Cup1st roundAl Oruba Sur2–00–12nd roundAl Sadd-0–22000Asian Club Championship1st roundAl-Wahda--2006AFC Champions LeagueGroup stageFoolad2–00–6Group stagePakhtakor2–12–2Group stageAl Ittihad1–02–2QuarterfinalAl Ain2–23–0SemifinalAl-Karamah0–10–02008AFC Champions LeagueGroup stagePakhtakor2–21–0Group stageArbil1–12–4Group stageAl-Gharafa1–01–0QuarterfinalUrawa3–20–22010AFC CupGroup stageEast Bengal4–13–2Group stageAl Ittihad3–00–0Group stageAl Nejmeh1–13–1Round of 16Churchill Brothers2–1QuarterfinalThai Port3–00–0SemifinalRiffa4–10–2FinalAl-Ittihad1–1 2–4 2011AFC CupGroup stageShurtan4–01–1Group stageAl-Ittihad3–22–0Group stageAl-Saqr3–02–2Round of 16Al-Kuwait2–2 2–3 2012AFC CupGroup stageAl-Suwaiq2–05–1Group stageAl-Ittihad5–20–1Group stageAl-Faisaly1–21–1Round of 16Al-Kuwait1–1 1–3 2013AFC CupGroup stageAl-Shorta0–12–0Group stageAl-Ramtha2–23–0Group stageRavshan3–03–1Round of 16Fanja4–0QuarterfinalAl-Shorta0–02–2SemifinalAl-Faisaly2–11–0FinalAl-Kuwait0–22014AFC Champions League1st roundAl-Suwaiq1–02nd roundBani Yas4–03rd roundEl Jaish0–3AFC CupGroup stageAl Shorta SC3–00–0Group stageAl-Hidd2–02–3Group stageAl-Wahda1–13–1Round of 16That Ras4–0QuarterfinalAl-Hidd1–12–2SemifinalPersipura Jayapura4–26–0FinalArbil0–0 4–2 2015AFC Champions LeaguePlayoff 2Al-Wehdat SC1–0Playoff 3Al-Ahli1–2AFC CupGroup stageFC Ahal2–01–0Group stageFC Istiklol2–20–2Group stageArbil1–21–0Round of 16Al-Wehdat SC1–0QuarterfinalAl-Jaish3–00–2SemifinalJohor Darul Ta'zim F.C.3–1w/o2019AFC CupGroup stageSuwaiq Club2–01–2Group stage Malkiya Club1–22–1Group stageAl-Ahed SC0–10–02020AFC CupGroup stageDhofar ClubGroup stage Riffa SC2–1Group stageAl-Jazeera
Presidents and managers
Presidential history
Qadsia has had numerous presidents over the course of their history. NameYearsSuliman Al-Khaled1960–1961Faisel Al-Mutawa1961–1962Rashed Al-Rashed1962–1963Khaled Al-Masaod1963–1965Khaled Al-Hamed1965–1966Mohammed Al-Hamed1966–1967Khaled Al-Masaod1967–1968Khaled Al-Hamad1968–1970Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah1970–1979Khaled Al-Hamad1979–1985Yousef Al-Mushari1985–1987Abdulaziz Al-Mokhled1989Abdulmohsen Al-Faris1989–1997Talal Al-Fahad Al-Subah1997–2010Major General Dr. Mahmoud Ghadban Al-Razouki2010Fawaz Al-Hasawi2010–2012Khaled Al-Fahad Al-Sabah2012–
Managerial history Below is a list of Qadsia coaches from 1960 until the present day. NameNationalityYearsMohammed Al Hamed1960–1962Abdulmhsen Al Faris1962–1963Omar Shendi1963–1965Aladdin Niazi1965–1966Jan Cestić1966–1967Vojin Božović1967–1970Ron Lewin1970–1972Žarko Mihajlović1972–1975Peter McBride1975–1977Mohammed Al Masaod1976–1977Tomason1977Žarko Mihajlović1977–1978Ron Lewin1978–1979Abdullah Al Asfor1979–1980Bonero1980–1983Miljan Miljanić1983–1985Bobby Campbell1985–1986Saleh Zakaria1986–1987Luiz Felipe Scolari1987–1990Vola1990–1992Luiz Felipe Scolari1992–1993Alexandru Moldovan1993Dragan Gugleta1993–1995Mohammed Al Zaer1995Ednaldo Patricio1995–1997René Feller1997–1998Jorvan Vieira1997–1999Mohammed Ebrahim1999–2000Fakro Al Deen2000Senad Kreso2000–2001Branko Totak2001Radojko Avramović2001Willem Leushuis2001–2002Mohammed Ebrahim2002–2004Duílio2004–2005Mohammed Ebrahim2005–2007José Garrido2007–2008Mohammed Ebrahim2008–2011Rodion Gačanin2011–2012Mohammed Ebrahim2012–2014Antonio Puche2014–2015Rashed Al Bediah2015Dalibor Starčević2015–2018Yousef AlMusaibeeh2018Marin Ion2018–2019Pablo Franco2019–2021Kheïreddine Madoui2021–2022Nasser Al-Shatti2022Boris Bunjak2022–2023Mohammed Ebrahim2023–2024Mohammed Mashaan2024Željko Petrović2024–2024Nabil Maâloul2025–2026Mohammed Ebrahim2026–
Handball
See also List of football clubs in Kuwait
References
External links