# 1981 King Cup

The 1981 King's Cup was the 23rd season of the knockout competition since its establishment in 1956. Al-Hilal were the defending champions but were defeated by Al-Nassr in the final. Al-Nassr won their 3rd title overall and first since 1976.

## Bracket

| Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final | Final |
| A | Al-Nahda (pen.) | 0 (4) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ansar | 0 (3) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ansar | 0 (3) | H | Al-Nahda | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | A | Al-Raed | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ta'alof | 1 | A | Al-Raed | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Raed (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Raed (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | A | Al-Nahda | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | H | Al-Ettifaq | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Fateh | 1 | | | | | | | H | Al-Ettifaq | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ettifaq | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ettifaq | 6 | A | Al-Ettifaq (a.e.t.) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | H | Al-Kawkab | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Shoulla | 1 | H | Al-Kawkab | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Kawkab | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Kawkab | 2 | | | | | | | | H | Al-Ettifaq | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | A | Al-Nassr (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | |
| H | Al-Jabalain | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | A | Al-Nassr (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | |
| A | Al-Taawoun | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Taawoun | 0 | A | Al-Jabalain | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | H | Al-Qadsiah | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Rabe'e | 0 | H | Al-Qadsiah | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Qadsiah | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Qadsiah | 7 | | | | H | Al-Qadsiah | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | A | Al-Nassr | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ahli | 4 | | | | | | | A | Al-Nassr | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Tai | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Tai | 1 | A | Al-Ahli | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | H | Al-Nassr | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Nassr | 14 | H | Al-Nassr | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Amal | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Amal | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | – | Al-Nassr | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | Al-Hilal | 1 |
| A | Al-Rawdhah | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | – | Al-Hilal | 1 |
| H | Al-Khaleej | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Khaleej | 2 | A | Al-Rawdhah | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | H | Al-Shate'e | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Nakhil | 2 | H | Al-Shate'e | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Shate'e (a.e.t.) | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Shate'e (a.e.t.) | 5 | | | | H | Al-Rawdhah | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | A | Al-Ittihad | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Ittihad | 5 | | | | | | | A | Al-Ittihad | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Arabi | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Arabi | 1 | H | Al-Ittihad | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | A | Al-Shabab | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Shabab | 4 | A | Al-Shabab | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Ohod | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Ohod | 2 | | | | | | | | H | Al-Ittihad | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | A | Al-Hilal | 2 | | | | |
| A | Al-Watani | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | A | Al-Hilal | 2 | | | | |
| H | Al-Riyadh | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Riyadh | 7 | H | Al-Riyadh | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | A | Al-Faisaly | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Faisaly | 3 | A | Al-Faisaly | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Hajer | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Hajer | 1 | | | | H | Al-Riyadh | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | A | Al-Hilal | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Hilal | 11 | | | | | | | A | Al-Hilal | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Qala | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Qala | 1 | H | Al-Hilal | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | A | Al-Wehda | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A | Al-Dera'a | 0 | A | Al-Wehda | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H | Al-Wehda | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Source: Al Jazirah

## Round of 32

The matches of the Round of 32 were held on 15, 16 and 17 April 1981.
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Al-Nassr | 14–0 | Al-Amal |
| Al-Ahli | 4–1 | Al-Tai |
| Al-Ettifaq | 6–1 | Al-Fateh |
| Al-Ta'alof | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Al-Raed |
| Al-Shate'e | 5–2 (a.e.t.) | Al-Nakhil |
| Al-Ittihad | 5–1 | Al-Arabi |
| Ohod | 2–4 | Al-Shabab |
| Al-Riyadh | 7–0 | Al-Watani |
| Hajer | 1–3 | Al-Faisaly |
| Al-Wehda | 12–0 | Al-Dera'a |
| Al-Hilal | 11–1 | Al-Qala |
| Al-Ansar | 0–0 (3–4 pen.) | Al-Nahda |
| Al-Jabalain | 2–0 | Al-Taawoun |
| Al-Rabe'e | 0–7 | Al-Qadsiah |
| Al-Khaleej | 2–4 | Al-Rawdhah |
| Al-Shoulla | 1–2 | Al-Kawkab |

## Round of 16

The Round of 16 matches were held on 22, 23 and 24 April 1981.
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Al-Kawkab | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Al-Ettifaq |
| Al-Nahda | 5–0 | Al-Raed |
| Al-Qadsiah | 2–0 | Al-Jabalain |
| Al-Ittihad | 1–0 | Al-Shabab |
| Al-Hilal | 3–1 | Al-Wehda |
| Al-Nassr | 1–0 | Al-Ahli |
| Al-Riyadh | 2–0 | Al-Faisaly |
| Al-Shate'e | 1–2 | Al-Rawdhah |

## Quarter-finals

The Quarter-final matches were held on 30 April and 1 May 1981.
| Home team | Score | Away team |
| Al-Rawdhah | 1–2 | Al-Ittihad |
| Al-Qadsiah | 1–5 | Al-Nassr |
| Al-Riyadh | 0–2 | Al-Hilal |
| Al-Ettifaq | 3–1 | Al-Nahda |

## Semi-finals

The four winners of the quarter-finals progressed to the semi-finals. The semi-finals were played on 7 and 8 May 1981. All times are local, AST (UTC+3).

## Final

The final was played between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal in the Youth Welfare Stadium in Riyadh. This was Al-Nassr's 6th final and Al-Hilal's 7th final. This was the first meeting between these sides in King Cup finals.

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Toninho | Al-Nassr | 5 |
| 1 | Hamad Al-Jaye'e | Al-Rawdhah | 5 |
| 1 | Saud Jassem | Al-Qadsiah | 5 |
| 4 | Majed Abdullah | Al-Nassr | 4 |
| 4 | Yousef Khamees | Al-Nassr | 4 |
| 4 | Néjib Limam | Al-Hilal | 4 |
| 4 | Jamal Mohammed | Al-Ettifaq | 4 |