Al Hilal Announces Signing Karim Benzema

Al Hilal Club has officially announced its signing of the French star Karim Benzema, after signing his transfer contracts on February 2, 2026, to begin a new journey wearing the ‘Leader’ jersey until June 2027.

The agreement came with a contract extending for a year and a half, or 18 months, allowing Benzema to continue his career in Saudi stadiums with Al Hilal until the end of the 2026-2027 season, in one of the most prominent deals of the season.

This deal was initiated after a clear tension in the player’s relationship with Al Ittihad Club’s management, following his rejection of a contract renewal offer, which he deemed financially unsuitable, opening the door for his departure during the winter transfer window.

The last hours before the transfer window closed witnessed legal complications and multiple pressures, including reports of reservations from Cristiano Ronaldo’s camp and Al Nassr Club citing competitive balance, before Al Hilal successfully concluded the deal.

Benzema had joined Al Ittihad on June 6, 2023, with a contract extending for three seasons until the summer of 2026, coming from Real Madrid in a free transfer, after a historic career in European stadiums.

The French star achieved notable successes with Al Ittihad, most notably contributing to winning the Roshen League title for the 2024-2025 season, and scoring 8 goals in 14 matches during the 2025-2026 season.

With this transfer, Al Hilal strengthens its ranks with one of the world’s top strikers, aiming to continue its dominance in the Saudi Roshen League and strongly compete for the Asian Champions League title in the coming stage.