Saudi Arabia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Green Falcons compete in Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Manager Roberto Mancini, captain Salem Al-Dawsari. AFC qualifier.
Saudi Arabia's outlook at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Ranked #60 in the world, Saudi Arabia are one of the longer shots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 48-team format and expanded Round of 32 give them a more realistic knockout path than any previous edition.
Saudi Arabia face a stacked Group I: the average opponent ranking is #41, -19 places above them on paper. Realistically they are battling for one of the eight best third-placed slots.
The 2026 tournament uses an expanded 48-team, 12-group format with a new Round of 32. That changes the maths for Saudi Arabia: the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance, so even a third-place finish in Group I is often enough to reach the knockouts. The first Saudi Arabia match of the World Cup is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16 against Haiti at Hard Rock Stadium.
Saudi Arabia 2026 World Cup fixtures
Players to watch
Get every player's stats - goals, assists, cards, minutes, xG - via the player stats endpoint for competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}.
Saudi Arabia World Cup history
Saudi Arabia have appeared at 7 previous FIFA World Cups. Their best finish remains Round of 16 (1994). Across the last five tournaments they recorded: Group, Group, DNQ, Group, DNQ, including 2 occasions when they failed to qualify.
Get Saudi Arabia data via API
// Fetch Saudi Arabia World Cup 2026 matches
const response = await fetch(
'https://api.thestatsapi.com/api/football/matches?competition_id={COMPETITION_ID}&team=saudi-arabia',
{ headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' } }
);
const { data } = await response.json();Frequently Asked Questions
What group is Saudi Arabia in at the 2026 World Cup?
Saudi Arabia is in Group I alongside Portugal, Egypt, Haiti. The average opponent FIFA ranking in Group I is #41.
Who is Saudi Arabia's manager at the 2026 World Cup?
Roberto Mancini manages Saudi Arabia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Salem Al-Dawsari as captain.
What is Saudi Arabia's best World Cup finish?
Saudi Arabia's best FIFA World Cup finish is Round of 16 (1994). They have appeared in 7 previous World Cup tournaments. Recent form: Group, Group, DNQ, Group, DNQ.
Who are Saudi Arabia's key players at the 2026 World Cup?
Captain Salem Al-Dawsari leads a squad whose standout names include Salem Al-Dawsari, Saleh Al-Shehri, Mohamed Kanno. The full 26-player squad is named approximately one week before the opening match.
How did Saudi Arabia qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
AFC qualifier. They came through the AFC qualifying pathway.
What is Saudi Arabia's current FIFA Ranking?
Saudi Arabia are ranked #60 in the world by FIFA at the time of the 2026 World Cup draw. Ranked #60 in the world, Saudi Arabia are one of the longer shots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 48-team format and expanded Round of 32 give them a more realistic knockout path than any previous edition.
What are Saudi Arabia's chances of winning the 2026 World Cup?
Saudi Arabia face a stacked Group I: the average opponent ranking is #41, -19 places above them on paper. Realistically they are battling for one of the eight best third-placed slots. Ranked #60 in the world, Saudi Arabia are one of the longer shots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 48-team format and expanded Round of 32 give them a more realistic knockout path than any previous edition.
How can I get Saudi Arabia fixtures and stats via API?
Use TheStatsAPI matches endpoint with competition_id={COMPETITION_ID} and filter by team_id to get all Saudi Arabia World Cup 2026 fixtures, lineups, live scores, in-play events, xG, and player-level stats. The same endpoint also returns historical World Cup data for Saudi Arabia going back to their first tournament.
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