Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation, resigned from his post on Sunday following the national team's early elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Saudis finished at the bottom of Group H with two points, drawing against Uruguay and Cape Verde and losing to Spain, failing to advance to the knockout stage.
Al-Misehal takes full responsibility
In a statement posted on social media, Al-Misehal acknowledged the team's poor performance. "The national team's failure to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result that falls short of all our ambitions," he wrote. "I bear full responsibility for it, apologising to everyone who hoped to see our team in a better position." He added, "Based on my conviction that responsibility requires providing the opportunity for a new phase, I have decided not to continue until the end of the current term."
Seven-year tenure and World Cup bid involvement
Al-Misehal had served as federation president for seven years and played a key role in Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup. His resignation comes after the team's third consecutive World Cup appearance and seventh overall. However, preparations were disrupted by the decision to replace head coach Herve Renard with Georgios Donis less than two months before the tournament began.
The early exit marks a disappointing end to a campaign that had raised hopes after Saudi Arabia's historic victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup. The federation is now expected to begin the process of selecting a new president to lead the organization through the upcoming challenges.
