Saudi Arabia’s victory against Argentina during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is one of the episodes most remembered by the Asian team in its recent international participations. This fact, achieved under the technical direction of Hervé Renard, symbolizes one of the most significant achievements in the team’s recent history, although the Saudi structure has not managed to establish itself permanently in the knockout stages of football’s greatest event. With this in mind, the Saudi national team is preparing to join Group H with Spain during the 2026 Men’s World Cup, played between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and must expect to reverse a long series of group stage eliminations. This was reported by the Europa Press agency.
Saudi Arabia have not repeated that progress since their World Cup debut in 1994, when they reached the first round after wins against Belgium and Morocco. The next competition will mark the team’s seventh time participating in a World Cup, a series that includes the 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022 editions, according to Europa Press. After being left out of the squads for South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, the team has achieved competitive continuity through three consecutive qualifications and now boasts a side that maintains the ambition of returning to the round of 16 after more than a quarter of a century.
Europa Press reports that when the World Cup draw was made, both Saudi Arabia and Spain were in the same qualifying block, a circumstance that reiterates a crossroads with a long history between both teams. The last World Cup precedent of a direct confrontation is Germany 2006; In that game, Spain won a narrow victory with a first-half goal from Juanito Gutiérrez, who took advantage of a set piece. Beyond this confrontation, the teams met in friendly duels before relevant championships. One of the most controversial games took place just before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Iberians beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 and Fernando Llorente determined the final result in stoppage time. The third straight match after Euro 2012 showed a notable difference in favor of Spain, which defeated a Saudi team led by Frank Rijkaard 5-0, as judged by Europa Press.
In the qualifying phase for the 2026 championship, the Asian team took first place in its group, overcoming the hurdles of regional rivals such as Indonesia and Iraq. The leadership at this stage made it possible to secure the third consecutive participation in the decisive stage of the tournament, creating a new expectation in the Saudi team to establish themselves as regular players in global football. For this process, technical driving underwent various modifications that influenced the development of the sports project. After the departure of Italian Roberto Mancini, Hervé Renard took the lead and successfully completed the final stage of qualification, securing a place in the World Cup and improving the collective performance at crucial moments. This was reported by Europa Press.
The meeting between Spain and Saudi Arabia scheduled for June 21, 2026 does not yet have a confirmed venue, although organizers are considering the cities of Atlanta and Miami as venues, Europa Press stated. The duel will have historical significance as it will be the fourth time that both teams have met at international level, with a history marked by clear Spanish superiority. The Iberian team has won all official and preparatory games against the Saudis, a statistic that increases the sporting pressure on the Green Falcons, the name with which the Asian team is identified.
Saudi Arabia’s path through the top national team tournament was marked by a single qualification to the round of 16 in 1994. That year, the team celebrated victories against Belgium and Morocco in the group stage, but were later eliminated by Sweden. According to Europa Press, in the other editions the course was limited to the initial phase. Subsequent campaigns reflect a consistency in qualifying, but also show continued difficulties in trying to overcome the first round hurdle.
The Saudi team’s aspirations remain focused on advancing to the next phase, an intention that remains valid after experiencing several changes in technical direction and squad configuration in recent competitive cycles. According to Europa Press, the multidisciplinary group that accompanies Renard aims to improve the international experience of players and coaching staff, with the aim of achieving a collective improvement that is reflected in results against teams with greater experience. This consolidation process becomes more important against rivals like Spain, which enters the tournament as reigning European champions and has a predominantly positive record in the statistics of direct encounters.
The Saudi organizational and sports structure, following recent qualification processes, has prioritized creating conditions that will allow the team to compete against European and South American teams after showing concrete progress in Asian qualifying rounds. The continuity in the top competition over the last three editions is helping to develop a stable base, although the translation of this experience into concrete progress during the group stage is still pending, as Europa Press reports.
The context of the 2026 World Cup poses additional challenges for Saudi Arabia as the United States, Canada and Mexico share the venue, bringing changes to the geography and logistics of the tournament. According to Europa Press, in this scenario the team will adapt its preparation plan taking into account both the competitive level of its group opponents and the specifics of the environment in which it will play the games.
Despite historical odds, the current generation of Saudi footballers remains committed to the goal of matching or exceeding the 1994 season, aligning their efforts with the federation’s goal of extending the Asian presence in the crucial stages of the tournament. The results of the draws and the course of the direct games influence the tactical planning and the definition of goals for Renard’s team, while fans wait for the development of a new cycle of World Cup participation, as Europa Press highlights in its coverage.
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