KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia were all drawn together on Thursday in the third stage of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in a "group of death" that also includes China.
The 18 remaining Asian teams battling it out for eight direct qualification places were drawn into three groups of six at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
Son Heung-min's South Korea were given a more straightforward-looking assignment when they were drawn to face Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B.
Iran and Asian Cup champions Qatar head Group A and will play Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.
Matches will be played on a home-and-away basis from this September to June 2025, with the top two in each group qualifying directly for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Teams finishing third and fourth in their groups will advance to the fourth round of Asian qualifying.
Hajime Moriyasu, whose Japan side beat Spain and Germany to reach the knockout rounds of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, called Group C "a tough group".
Indonesia -- in the third qualifying phase for the first time -- and Bahrain are the other teams in that group.
"We had to do it the hard way in the qualifiers for the last World Cup and we're going to have to dig even deeper this time," Japan coach Moriyasu told reporters after the draw in the Malaysian capital.
"But I want us to be ready for it, be brave and go for it. I ask that the fans fight along with us."
Graham Arnold took Australia to the last 16 in Qatar, where they went out 2-1 to eventual champions Argentina.
Like Japan, Australia had a 100 percent record in the second qualifying round for 2026 and did not concede a goal.
"We knew this round of qualifying would present challenges however the draw panned out," Arnold said.
"I feel it's important we embrace those challenges, with our mindset, belief and camaraderie integral to achieve our goal of qualification."
China have only reached the World Cup once, in 2002, and coach Branko Ivankovic knows his side are up against it in the same group.
"Ours is the hardest group in this round," he said.
"But we want to be a serious opponent for any team. Of course we have three strong teams -- Saudi, Japan and Australia -- that participated in the last World Cup."
Third round AFC qualification draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Group A: Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea
Group B: South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait
Group C: Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Indonesia
Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia drawn together in tough World Cup qualifying group
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Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia drawn together in tough World Cup qualifying group
- The 18 remaining Asian teams battling it out for eight direct qualification places were drawn into three groups of six at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur
- Iran and Asian Cup champions Qatar head Group A and will play Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea
Renard confident Green Falcons ready for Gulf Cup challenge
- Frenchman emphasized that his team was aiming for significant results rather than merely gaining experience
KUWAIT CITY: Herve Renard, the Saudi national football team’s head coach, expressed confidence on Saturday in his team’s readiness to compete at the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, which gets underway on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference, the Frenchman emphasized that his team was aiming for significant results rather than merely gaining experience.
“We are here to participate effectively and win,” Renard said. “This tournament provides a great platform to work with the players and prepare them for future competitions.”
Renard also said the tournament was a good way to enhance the technical and physical capabilities of his players.
He provided updates on key players, confirming that defender Hassan Tambakti was fully ready for action. However, he said Salem Al-Dawsari was still working to regain full fitness.
Renard praised Al-Dawsari’s dedication to his recovery process, saying it demonstrated his commitment to the team.
Meanwhile, striker Firas Al-Brikan is dealing with an injury, and his participation will depend on further medical evaluations.
Acknowledging the challenges of the competition, Renard said: “I accepted this challenge because I believe in the players’ capabilities. We must work with team spirit and focus on improvement in the coming period.”
The Saudi team get their campaign up and running against Bahrain on Sunday, and Renard stressed the importance of delivering a strong performance to set the tone for the tournament.
Green Falcons arrive in Kuwait for 26th Arabian Gulf Cup
RIYADH: The Saudi national football team arrived in Kuwait on Friday ahead of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup to take place from Dec. 21 until Jan. 3 next year.
Upon arrival at Kuwait International Airport, the team was welcomed by Deputy Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Yahya Al-Qahtani and several other officials, state news agency SPA reported.
The Green Falcons are scheduled to conduct an evening training session on Saturday at the Yarmouk Club Stadium, with the first 15 minutes opened for members of the media.
Monika Staab steps down as technical director of women’s football in Saudi Arabia
- A former player from Germany, she came to the Kingdom in August 2021 as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team
- Appointed technical director in February 2023, she is credited with transforming the women’s game in the country and inspiring a new generation of players
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced on Friday the departure of Monika Staab, its technical director of women’s football, after more than three years with the organization.
She was credited with transforming the women’s game in the Kingdom during her tenure and for inspiring a new generation of players to take up the sport.
Staab, a former player from Germany, joined the federation in August 2021, initially as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team. The federation said her leadership and vision played a pivotal role in shaping its strategy for women’s football, driving growth both on and off the pitch. She was appointed technical director in February 2023.
She coached the women’s national team in their first-ever match, a landmark 2-0 victory over the Seychelles in February 2022. Under her guidance, the Kingdom launched its first regional league for women in 2021, followed by a national football championship in 2022.
Staab also spearheaded the introduction of under-17 and under-20 women’s national teams, laying the foundations for the development of future talent.
In March 2023, she helped the Saudi women’s national team secure its first-ever FIFA ranking, and this month they reached their highest-ever position, climbing eight places to 166th. The team is now about to begin its campaign to qualify for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Staab leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of milestones that have shaped women’s football in Saudi Arabia, the federation said.
“We bid farewell to Monika and thank her for helping to transform women’s football across Saudi Arabia,” said Lamia Bahaian, the organization’s vice president, as she expressed her deep gratitude for Staab’s contributions.
“Her vision, passion and tenacity have inspired us all. There are young girls across Saudi Arabia now playing football at all levels thanks to the work she has done and the impact she’s had.
“Although her time with SAFF has drawn to a close, her legacy will continue for generations.”
Bayan Sadagah, the captain of the women’s national team, said: “Monika has inspired both myself and all my teammates to believe in ourselves and our team. Our journey as a team is inspiring so many girls across the country to play and follow football, and I know we all wish her the very best for the future.”
The federation said women’s football has become a cornerstone of its strategy to grow the sport at all levels and participation has surged, with more than 70,000 schoolgirls playing football across the country.
Saudi Arabia conclude preparations for 26th Gulf Cup
- The camp, which ran from Dec. 12 to Friday, put the Green Falcons through an intensive training program under the guidance of head coach Herve Renard
RIYADH: The Saudi national football team on Friday completed its preparatory training camp in Riyadh ahead of the start of the 26th Gulf Cup, set to take place in Kuwait from Saturday to Jan. 3 next year.
The camp, which ran from Dec. 12 to Friday, put the Green Falcons through an intensive training program under the guidance of head coach Herve Renard.
The final training session, held at Al-Shabab Club Stadium, included warm-up drills, possession exercises, and a mini-game played on half the pitch.
Star player Salem Al-Dawsari, who is returning from injury, participated in the warm-up exercises alongside his teammates and underwent additional specialized training with the fitness coach to fine-tune his readiness for the tournament.
Following the training session, the Saudi delegation departed for Kuwait.
Head coach Renard will hold a press conference on Saturday at the tournament’s media center at the Crown Plaza Hotel, where he will outline the team’s strategy and expectations ahead of their opening match against Bahrain on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia have won the Gulf Cup on three occasions — with the first title in 1994 and the last win coming in 2004 — and have been on the losing side of four finals since 2009.
Balancing act required from Renard and Saudi at 26th Arabian Gulf Cup
- Green Falcons will be taking a strong squad to Kuwait, but one eye will be on the resumption of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Bahrain and Iraq will see this tournament the same way as Saudi — a chance to lift a trophy but also to get ready for March’s crucial qualifiers
The last time the Arabian Gulf Cup rolled around was just after the 2022 World Cup and it was almost an afterthought for Saudi Arabia and head coach Herve Renard, especially as the Saudi Pro League was in full swing.
Not this time. As the 26th edition kicks off this week, all eyes are on Kuwait and whether the Green Falcons can find the form to lift the trophy and also ignite their faltering 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.
Winning the Gulf Cup for the first time since 2004 will be a big deal but the excitement and plaudits would quickly fade if the team miss out on the expanded 48-team World Cup. Renard has a tricky test to get the balance right: achieve results but also look ahead. Another failure would increase the already substantial pressure surrounding Saudi Arabia.
Qualification for the 2026 World Cup has not been going well. After six games in the third round, Saudi Arabia have six points, with just that one win in China (courtesy of a last-minute Hassan Kadesh header) to look back on. With only the top two certain of going to the World Cup and Japan already nine points clear, the other five teams are separated by just a single point. It is going to be a brutal race for second and if the Green Falcons do not improve before March’s games then everything is in doubt.
The Gulf Cup is also important for Renard. The Frenchman returned in October to replace Roberto Mancini. Renard may only have ended his first spell just over 18 months earlier, but he needs time to get to grips with the team. His first game in November was a battling 0-0 draw in Australia, an encouraging start that was quickly followed by a 2-0 loss at the hands of Indonesia in Jakarta.
Against that background comes the Gulf Cup. There are no Saudi Pro League games meaning that, unlike last time, Renard will take his strongest side to compete in the eight-team tournament that is split into two groups of four with the top two going into the semis. Saudi Arabia are in Group B and kick off against Bahrain on Sunday — a rival for that second spot in World Cup qualification — before Yemen on Dec. 25 and Iraq three days later.
Even assuming, as expected, Yemen end up fourth and last, it should be a tough few days. Bahrain and Iraq will see this tournament the same way as Saudi — a chance to lift a trophy but also to get ready for March’s crucial qualifiers. Getting to the final is not just an objective in its own right but also means five competitive games and valuable preparation time.
The biggest issue for Saudi Arabia is obvious: goals, or rather the lack of them. Three scored in six qualifiers is a shocking statistic and none in the last four is even worse. Defender Kadesh scored twice from set pieces in the second matchday against China which followed Musab Al-Juwayr’s equaliser against Indonesia in the opening game. The strikers have not found the target at all. If these issues continue then Saudi Arabia are going to miss out on the World Cup.
Firas Al-Buraikan, Saleh Al-Shehri and Abdullah Al-Hamdan are all familiar names while Abdullah Radif is an increasingly regular face at international level. Renard needs to get these forwards firing, or at least one of them.
There is some encouraging news. In this week’s friendly, played behind closed doors to the media as well as fans, Saudi Arabia defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3-1. Both Al-Shehri and Al-Hamdan were on target. With the poor results of late and the negative publicity around the team, it was perhaps a wise decision to make the match low-key and Renard will be hoping that his strikers now have a little more confidence.
The injury to Salem Al-Dawsari makes it all a little harder. The team’s talisman and best creative talent is likely to miss the early stages, meaning that others will have to step up. There may be a chance for some younger talents such as Ayman Fallatah, Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari, Abdulaziz Al-Othman and Mohammed Al-Qahtani to make a name for themselves but the old stalwarts at the back such as Ali Al-Bulaihi, Sultan Al-Ghannam (though these two missed training Wednesday due to minor ailments) and Yasser Al-Shahrani need to play their part.
In short, the pressure is on. The Gulf Cup could be the catalyst for change that Renard and Saudi Arabia are looking for after a disappointing 2024.
