Sports

Al-Ettifaq Signs Australian Coach "Arthur Papas"

Issa Al-Habib - Al-Ahsa

Date of Publication: July 4, 2026 08:16 KSA

Al-Ettifaq club management announced its signing of Australian coach Arthur Papas to lead the first football team on a one-year contract, with an option to renew for an additional season.

Papas has an impressive coaching record, having previously worked in the Australian, Thai, and Japanese leagues, and he won the Best Coach award in the Japanese league for 2026. The Australian coach also previously worked at Al-Ettifaq as an assistant coach in the technical staff of the first team during 2017.

Samer Al-Mishal, President of Al-Ettifaq Club, welcomed the new coach, emphasizing that the signing is part of the club's vision to build a team capable of competing and achieving the aspirations of Al-Ettifaq fans. He said: "We trust in Arthur Papas's abilities and technical expertise, and we look forward to working with him in the coming stage to achieve the goals we all seek." For his part, Coach Arthur Papas said: "I feel immense happiness to return to Al-Ettifaq. This club holds a special place in my heart since my first joining as an assistant coach in 2017. Since then, my professional career has continued to progress, but I always felt there was unfinished business here. Al-Ettifaq is a historic club with a rich legacy and great potential, and the goal now is to move forward together with our fans and work to win a championship. He added: 'Undoubtedly, we will face great challenges in the league, the King's Cup, and the Gulf Cup, but these are exactly the competitions that distinguish big clubs, and they are challenges we can overcome if we stand together. We will present a competitive team that works hard, attacks fearlessly, and excites our fans. Our identity and mentality will be built day by day, and I am excited to start work.' He also added: 'I look forward to working side by side with the players, the technical staff, and the entire Al-Ettifaq family to write a new successful chapter for this historic club.'"