Doha, August 19 (QNA) - The 2026-27 Doha Bank Stars League season kicks off Thursday, with Al Wakrah facing Qatar SC at Lusail Stadium, while defending champions Al Sadd begin their title defense against Al Ahli on Saturday.

The opening round will be played over three days, with matches during the first three rounds being held at air-conditioned stadiums.

The new season features a change to player-registration regulations, with clubs now permitted to field up to seven foreign players from a maximum squad allocation of 10 foreign players.

The 12 participating teams have completed their preparations for the new campaign, with Al Sadd targeting a fourth consecutive league title after winning the championship for a record-extending 19th time last season.

Al Sadd, coached by Romanian Razvan Lucescu following the departure of Roberto Mancini, will rely on key players including Akram Afif, Roberto Firmino, Claudinho and Rafa Mujica. The team also has its sights set on making a strong campaign in the AFC Champions League Elite.

Al Ahli, meanwhile, will be looking to challenge the champions under new Spanish coach Borja Jimenez and build on their squad additions, including French midfielder Benjamin Boulhigues, who joined from Al Duhail.

Thursday's opening fixture sees Al Wakrah take on Qatar SC, with both sides seeking an early boost. Al Wakrah finished eighth last season and will be led by Chilean coach Jose Luis Sierra, while Qatar SC, who finished sixth, will be aiming to improve on their previous campaign under Spanish coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez.

Elsewhere on Thursday, eight-time champions Al Rayyan face newly promoted Lusail at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Al Rayyan finished third last season and retained key players, including Brazilian forward Roger Guedes, while Lusail make their top-flight debut after winning the second-division title last season.

On Friday, Al Gharafa face Al Shahaniya at Khalifa International Stadium, with the former looking to build on a strong previous campaign in which they finished fourth and won the Amir Cup for a second consecutive year. Al Gharafa have retained Portuguese coach Pedro Martins as well as Algeria's Yacine Brahimi and Tunisia's Ferjani Sassi.

Also on Friday, Al Arabi meet Al Shamal at Al Thumama Stadium. Al Shamal are coming off their best-ever league finish after placing second last season and will seek to maintain their upward momentum under Spanish coach David Prats. (QNA)