KUALA LUMPUR – Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are set to embark on a pre-season tour against clubs from the Saudi Pro League ahead of the 2025/2026 season, potentially as part of their preparations for the Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE).
The news was confirmed by the Southern Tigers’ owner, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who announced on X that plans are underway to send his team to Saudi Arabia once the current M-League season ends in April.
Further checks by Scoop, following discussions with a well-placed source in the football fraternity, revealed that JDT are currently in talks with Saudi clubs, including Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal.
The source also disclosed that JDT are set to play a friendly against French giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) once the Ligue 1 season concludes in May.
This aligns with a recent post by Tunku Ismail on X, hinting at a potential match against PSG following discussions between representatives of both clubs to establish a long-term partnership.
It has been reported that key areas of the partnership include grassroots development, infrastructure improvements, branding initiatives, and the sharing of technological expertise.
“The upcoming season is going to be an exciting one for JDT, as they are going all out in their preparations for the ACLE. To do this, they need to rub shoulders with the best teams in Asia, and travelling to Saudi Arabia is the right move, as these clubs are currently in excellent form.
“It’s a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity for a Malaysian club to go up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad), and Roberto Firmino (Al-Hilal). This will be an invaluable experience for JDT’s younger players, as many of them will be given exposure during the tour.
“By facing these teams, JDT will gain crucial insights that could give them an advantage should they meet in the ACLE. In addition to the Saudi tour, there is also a strong possibility that the club will travel to Qatar to play against some of the top sides there.
“The friendly against PSG is 90% confirmed, with Tunku Ismail and his advisor, Tim Cahill, set to fly to Paris next week to finalise the venue once the French domestic season ends.
“There is a high chance the match will be played in Doha, and discussions will also take place regarding a potential player exchange programme between the two clubs,” the source said.
JDT’s commitment to thorough pre-season preparations is well established. Last season, Hector Bidoglio’s squad played seven friendly matches during a successful training stint in Spain, while the 2022/2023 pre-season saw the team travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). — February 2, 2025