Al Nahda look to extend lead as Jindal League enters fifth round

Muscat: The fifth round of the Jindal Football League for the 2025–2026 season will kick off on Wednesday amid increasingly competitive atmospheres between clubs seeking to strengthen their positions in the overall standings. Al Nahda currently lead the table with 10 points after the conclusion of Round 4, ahead of second-placed Seeb, who share the same tally, while Bahla, Al Shabab and Oman Club follow closely behind with 9 points each, in tightly packed positions that fuel the intensity of the title race.

League leaders Al Nahda will host Sur at 5 pm at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex in a match that appears, on paper, to favour the home side. Al Nahda enter the game with great confidence after a series of strong performances. At the same time, Sur remain at the bottom of the table with just a single point and will be hoping for a surprise result that reshuffles the competition.

In the second match on the same evening, fifth-placed Oman Club (with 9 points) will be a tough visitor to Al Khabourah, who currently sit 10th with 4 points, at 7:20 pm at the Al Rustaq Sports Complex. The match is crucial for both sides, as a win could push Oman Club closer to the top, while a victory would revive Al Khabourah’s hopes of improving their position.

The round continues on Thursday evening with three additional encounters, the most notable of which sees Dhofar face Samail at 5:15 pm at the Al Saada Sports Complex in Salalah. It is an evenly balanced duel between ninth-placed Dhofar with 4 points and eighth-placed Samail with 5 points, as both sides search for a victory that would lift them to mid-table and provide a valuable morale boost before the next break.

Al Nahda currently lead the table with 10 points after Round 4.

Later, Sohar, who have 6 points, will take on Ibri with just a single point, at 6:05 pm at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex. The match will be a difficult test for Ibri, who are yet to taste victory and seek to correct their course before the gap widens further in the standings. Meanwhile, the Rustaq Sports Complex will host a 7:30 pm clash between bottom-placed Al Rustaq, still without points, and Saham, who sit 11th with 4 points, in a crucial match for the home side, who will fight for their first breakthrough to escape the relegation zone.

Away from this week’s direct action, two matches, Al Shabab vs Al Nasr and Seeb vs Bahla have been postponed to a later date due to the clubs’ participation in the AFC Challenge Cup. Seeb play their group matches in Kuwait, while Al Shabab are competing in Bhutan. This adds further complexity to the battle at the top and opens the door for possible shifts in the standings depending on the outcomes of the rescheduled fixtures.

The fifth round is considered a pivotal stage for clubs clinging to their ambitions. Al Nahda seek to maintain their lead and reinforce their dominance, while mid-table teams aim to close the gap toward the summit, and those near the bottom hope to secure an early escape from the relegation struggle. Between the pursuit of the title and the fight for survival, the league remains wide open to all possibilities in a round that could significantly reshape the landscape of the competition.