The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico has been fully completed, with Saudi Arabia finishing last in Group H, causing disappointment among its fans. According to a report by Reuters on June 28th, Saudi Football Federation president Yasser Mishaal announced on social media that he was responsible for the poor performance of the Saudi national team and would no longer serve as the federation’s president.
Mishar stated in his statement: "The national team failed to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage, and this result falls far short of our expectations. I take full responsibility for this and apologize to everyone who hoped that our team would improve. Based on my belief that responsibility requires providing opportunities for new stages, I have decided not to continue in my position until the end of this term."
He added that the Saudi Football Association will initiate the candidate nomination process for the board of directors according to the rules and procedures.
Since 2019, Mishaal has served as the president of the Saudi Football Federation and has been deeply involved in Saudi Arabia's efforts to obtain the right to host the World Cup in 2034.
File photo: Yasser Mousaer, Saudi Press Agency
Reuters reported that in recent years, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in football events. The Saudi football clubs have signed international stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in order to improve the level of domestic football. However, the Saudi national team has performed poorly at the World Cup.
In the group stage of this World Cup, Saudi Arabia lost 0-4 to Spain, drew 1-1 with Uruguay, and played a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde. As a result, with two draws and one loss, they finished with 2 points and were last in Group H, missing the opportunity for the knockout stage.
