Yasser Al-Misehal has resigned as president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) following Saudi Arabia’s disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the group stage. He announced his decision on Monday, saying he was taking full responsibility for the national team’s failure to progress.
In a statement posted on X, Al-Misehal apologised to Saudi fans, saying the team’s performance fell far short of expectations and that stepping aside was necessary to allow “a new chapter” for Saudi football. He also confirmed he would not complete the remainder of his current term after serving as federation president for seven years.
Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with two points, drawing 1-1 with Uruguay, 0-0 with Cape Verde, and suffering a 4-0 defeat to Spain, failing to qualify for the knockout stage.
Al-Misehal’s resignation comes despite his role in helping Saudi Arabia secure the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The team’s early elimination has intensified scrutiny of the federation, particularly its decision to replace head coach Hervé Renard with Georgios Donis just weeks before the tournament
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