Al-Duhail Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الدحيل الرياضي), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city of Doha and plays its home games at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. It is the first team in Qatari football to win the first division title on its debut season.
In April 2017, it was announced that the club would take over El Jaish SC and merge with it following the 2016–17 Qatar Stars League and be known as Al-Duhail Sports Club in a rebranding of Lekhwiya SC.[2][3]
The club was founded as Al-Shorta Doha and in 2009 was renamed Lekhwiya.[4] Lekhwiya Club has the biggest financial budget in Qatar.
Upon the club's reformation, it was entered into the Qatari 2nd Division. It came fourth in the league on its first year before winning the next season in 2010.
In the club's first season in the Qatar Stars League, Lekhwiya finished at the top of the standings to win the 2010–11 Qatar Stars League.[5] It was the first league title in the club's history. They also managed to reach the final of the 2010 Sheikh Jassem Cup, losing in the final to Al-Arabi.[6]
Their first official debut in a continental competition came on March 7, 2012, in the 2012 AFC Champions League. They won their first match against Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia, with Nam Tae-Hee scoring the only goal and also scoring the first-ever goal for Lekhwiya in any regional competition.[7]
In the 2011–12 Qatar Stars League season, Lekhwiya retained the league title with two games left to be played.[8]
They inaugurated a new stadium Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, also known as Lekhwiya Sports Stadium, on February 15, 2013, in a match against Al Khor and won their third league title in the first season at the new stadium.[9]
in April 2017 the club announced that they would take over El Jaish SC and rebranded the club into Al-Duhail SC.
At the end of the 2017–2018 Season the Club became the first club to hold all three domestic Titles the league, Qatar Cup and Emir Cup.
In 2024, it was one of the teams invited to take part in the first installment of the Equality Cup.[10]
Lekhwiya's stadium began construction in 2011.[9] The first phase was completed in May 2012.[11] The stadium was officially inaugurated on February 15, 2013, with the first match played being a Qatar Stars League fixture against Al Khor. The official seating capacity is 10,000, it is located in the ISF area of Doha.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Last updated: 23 December 2022
Source: https://www.duhailsc.qa/main-team/
Last update: 28 September 2024.
Players whose names are in bold are still active with the club.
Khalifa Khamis (2008) (unofficial)[15] Abdullah Saad (2008–2009) (unofficial) Abdullah Mubarak (2009–2010)
Djamel Belmadi (2010–2012).svg/1280px-Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg.png){kind=small}
Eric Gerets (2012–2014)
Michael Laudrup (2014–2015) Djamel Belmadi (2015–2018)
Nabil Maâloul (2018–2019)
Rui Faria (2019–2020)
Walid Regragui (2020) Hatem Almoadab (2020)[16]
Sabri Lamouchi (2020–2021) Luís Castro (2021–2022)
Hernán Crespo (2022–2023) Christophe Galtier (2023–present)