Yasser Al-Misehal, president of Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation, has stepped down following the Green Falcons’ early elimination from the 2026 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with just two points, after drawing 1–1 with Uruguay and 0–0 with Cape Verde, before suffering a heavy 4–0 defeat to Spain.
“The failure of the national team to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result that falls short of all our ambitions, and I bear full responsibility for it. I offer my apologies to everyone who hoped to see our team in a better position,” Al-Misehal wrote on X late Sunday.
He added that “a sense of responsibility requires giving the opportunity to open a new chapter,” explaining his decision not to continue until the end of his current term.
Al-Misehal, who has led the federation for seven years, played a pivotal role in securing Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup, a landmark achievement in the kingdom’s broader push to diversify its oil-dependent economy.
This year marked Saudi Arabia’s third consecutive World Cup appearance. However, poor results in March warm-up matches had already cost French coach Hervé Renard his job, ending his second spell in charge after replacing Italian Roberto Mancini.
The Gulf nation has invested nearly $2 billion in football over the past three years, attracting global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema to the Saudi Pro League, now one of the world’s most lucrative competitions.
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