The founding of Al-Ittihad wasn't just about starting a football club; it was about standing up for a social principle that sports should be for everyone equally. Anyone who violated this core belief would have no place in the club's history.

The story begins with the Al-Hijazi Sports Team, which included prominent figures such as Mohammed Abdullah Ali Reda, Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Salama, Abdulaziz Jameel, Hassan Kamel, Hamza Fitaihi, Abdul Samad Najeeb, Mohammed Darwish, Abdullah bin Zaqr, and Abdulrazzaq Mohammed Ajlan.

When some members wanted to make the team exclusive to the wealthy elite, others, though wealthy themselves, strongly disagreed. They believed sports should be open to all, regardless of class or status.

As the conflict deepened, those who supported inclusion made a decisive move. Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Salama, Abdulaziz Jameel, and his brother Abdullatif Jameel, Abdul Samad Najeeb, Abdullah bin Zaqr, Abdulrazzaq Mohammed Ajlan, Hamza Abdullah Fitaihi, and others met in a room at the wireless building on December 26, 1927. They founded Al-Ittihad, a club that would welcome everyone. This inclusivity became the foundation of the club's massive popularity. Fans felt it truly belonged to them, was created by people like them, and existed for them.

Eventually, the two teams had to face each other. In May 1932, Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Hijazi Sports 3-0 in a highly anticipated match. This victory was more than just a win on the field; it vindicated their founding principles. Al-Hijazi Sports eventually dissolved, with its players joining Al-Ittihad, which became and remains the oldest continuously operating club in Saudi Arabia, earning its title as the "Senior" of Saudi clubs.

The club's fanbase deserves special mention as the backbone of moral support. Their legendary turnouts led Al-Ittihad to become the first Saudi club to introduce ticketing in 1932, announced in Sawt Al-Hijaz newspaper on May 8, allowing fans to provide financial support while demonstrating organizational innovation decades ahead of its time.

Al-Ittihad supporters remember their founding fathers with deep pride and gratitude: Al-Sayed Ali Hashim Sultan, the first president in both club and Saudi football history; Sheikh Mohammed Saleh Salama, the first official coach in Saudi football, and Sheikh Abdullah Ali Reda, who served as Jeddah's governor under King Abdulaziz and became the club's first honorary president. May they all rest in peace.