Three-time Asian champions Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with two points after three games.
Published June 29, 2026
The president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has announced his resignation after the national team was eliminated from the first round of the 2026 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia drew 1-1 with Uruguay, played a goalless draw with Cape Verde, who were participating in the tournament for the first time, and suffered a crushing 4-0 loss to champions Spain, finishing at the bottom of Group H with two points.
“The national team’s failure to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result of not achieving all our ambitions, and I take full responsibility for it. I apologize to everyone who expected our team to be in a better position,” Yasser Al Misehar wrote in X late on Sunday.
“It is necessary to be given the opportunity to open a new chapter with a sense of responsibility, and I have decided not to continue until the end of my current term,” he added.
Mr. Al-Sejal served as the federation’s president for seven years and played a central role in Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup, a key part of its strategy to diversify its heavily oil-dependent economy.
Saudi Arabia was participating in the World Cup for the third consecutive year this year. The three-time Asian champions have not advanced to the finals since the round of 16 in 1994.
Of the seven Asian teams, Saudi Arabia was also eliminated in the group stage, leaving only Japan and Australia to advance to the last 32.
French manager Hervé Renard has already lost his job in Saudi Arabia after a series of poor results in warm-up friendly games in March, marking the end of Renard’s second spell as manager when he returned to replace Italian Roberto Mancini.
Saudi Arabia has invested nearly $2 billion in soccer over the past three years, luring Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema to the Saudi Pro League, now one of the most lucrative competitions in the world.
