FOOTBALL – THE end-of-season relegation play-offs between four clubs that will be battling for two spots in the 2026-27 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League kick off this Thursday.
The Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced yesterday the match schedule for the mini-competition, which includes Budaiya and Al Najma – two sides who will be looking to retain their places in the kingdom’s top flight – and Al Ettihad and Manama, who are aiming for promotion from the Bahrain First Division for their next campaign.
The opening matchday on Thursday will see Budaiya take on Manama at the National Stadium in Riffa and Najma face Ettihad at Al Ahli Club Stadium in Mahooz. On Monday next week, Budaiya and Najma face off at the National Stadium while Ettihad take on Manama at Ahli. Then, on May 30, Najma and Manama clash at the National Stadium while Budaiya take on Ettihad at Ahli.
All six matches are scheduled for 7pm kick-offs each evening.
The top two teams at the end of the single round-robin will be joining the cast of 10 other clubs in the premier league next season, while the bottom two will go to the Bahrain First Division.
Budaiya and Najma are competing in the play-offs after finishing in ninth and 10th places, respectively, to end the season. Already confirmed to be dropping from the premier league are Al Shabab and Bahrain Club.
Ettihad and Manama, on the other hand, finished third and fourth in the first division, and will be looking to join promoted sides Al Ettifaq and East Riffa in the climb up to the premiership.