Soccer-Saudi federation president Al-Misehal stands down after World Cup exit


Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group H - Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia - Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas, U.S. - June 26, 2026 Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Al-Owais and Ali Lajami look dejected after the match as Saudi Arabia are eliminated from the World Cup REUTERS/Phil Noble

June 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia ⁠football federation president Yasser Al-Misehal resigned from his ⁠post on Sunday as a result of the national ‌team's early exit from the World Cup.

The Saudis finished bottom of Group H with two points and were eliminated after drawing with both Uruguay ​and Cape Verde and losing to Spain.

"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," Al-Misehal wrote on social media.

"I bear full responsibility for ⁠it, apologising to everyone who hoped to see ​our team in ‌a better position.

"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."

Al-Misehal had been in the ⁠role for seven years and was ​heavily involved in Saudi Arabia's successful bid to win the hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia were appearing at ⁠their third consecutive World Cup and seventh in total but their preparations were hit by the decision to replace Herve Renard with Georgios Donis less than two months before the ​tournament kicked off.

The results come after ⁠the government had poured huge sums in the sport over recent ​years, with Saudi clubs signing high-profile ‌players including Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar ​Junior in an effort to boost standards within the country.

(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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