Champions Al Ain finish season unbeaten, Al Bataeh relegated

Al Ain produced one of the greatest seasons in UAE football history during the 2025-2026 ADNOC Pro League campaign, turning an ambitious dream into a historic reality.

Al Ain ended their unforgettable Pro League campaign in perfect fashion with a dominant 4-0 win over Dibba at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in the final round of the season.

From the opening matchweek, Al Ain set their sights on more than just winning the title. The team pursued a season that would be remembered forever — and delivered exactly that.

Al Zaeem crowned an extraordinary campaign by lifting the league trophy without suffering a single defeat, completing a historic “Golden League” season that will remain one of the defining achievements in UAE football history.

Al Ain’s success was not built on results alone. The team showcased the mentality of true champions through consistency, discipline, confidence, and determination from the first match to the last. It was a complete season in every sense — one that combined records, performances, and unforgettable moments.

The club secured its 15th league title overall and sixth during the professional era, finishing the campaign with 68 points to equal the highest points tally in the ADNOC Pro League history, previously achieved by Al Jazira in the 2016-2017 season.

Al Ain also became the first team in league history to complete an entire 26-match season unbeaten, achieving the famous “Golden League” feat for the first time in more than 40 years.

The champions extended their incredible consistency by reaching 33 consecutive league matches without defeat, the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the competition. The team also recorded 11 straight league victories for the first time in club history.

Across the season, Al Ain collected 21 victories, the highest number of wins ever achieved by the club in the professional league era, surpassing the previous mark of 20 wins set during the 2021-2022 season.

Defensively, the team was equally outstanding, conceding only 18 goals throughout the campaign — the third-best defensive record in club history after the 2011-2012 and 2021-2022 seasons.

Al Ain also kept 13 clean sheets, equalling the club’s best-ever total in a professional league season. In attack, the champions finished as the league’s highest-scoring side with 62 goals. Laba Kodjo once again led the way, scoring 25 goals to finish as the league’s top scorer and continue strengthening his legendary status with the club.

The team’s attacking numbers reflected the balance and variety of Al Ain’s football throughout the season.

The champions scored 27 goals in the first half and 35 in the second half, while 52 goals came from inside the penalty area and 10 from outside the box.

Al Ain also scored 37 goals from open play and 25 from set-pieces, highlighting the tactical flexibility and attacking efficiency that defined their historic campaign.

Meanwhile, Al Bataeh were relegated to the First Division League after a 1-1 draw against Shabab Al Ahli at Rashid Stadium in the final round of the ADNOC Pro League season.

The result saw Al Bataeh finish the campaign on 21 points in 13th place, while Shabab Al Ahli ended the season second in the standings with 58 points.

Al Bataeh entered the match knowing victory was crucial to their survival hopes and nearly took the lead late in the first half, but Antonio Fialho saw his penalty saved in the 44th minute as the two sides went into the break level at 0-0.

The visitors continued to push forward in the second half, searching for the goal that could keep them in the league, but Shabab Al Ahli struck first in the 72nd minute through Saeid Ezatolahi.

Al Bataeh responded quickly and revived their hopes just four minutes later when Edilson Alberto scored the equaliser in the 76th minute.

Despite their efforts during the closing stages, the draw ultimately proved insufficient for Al Bataeh after Al Dhafra secured victory over Al Wahda, confirming Al Bataeh’s relegation.

Al Dhafra secured their place in next season’s ADNOC Pro League after earning a dramatic 1-0 win over Al Wahda at Hamdan bin Zayed Stadium in the final round of the 2025-2026 season.