Flying Falcons: 5 Saudi Arabia stars to watch at FIFA World Cup | OneFootball

It’s officially 2026 FIFA World Cup Week, with football’s marquee event kicking off on Thursday and offering plenty of Roshn Saudi League interest across the next - hopefully - five weeks.

The Saudi Arabia national team are at their training base in Austin, Texas busily preparing for their three Group H fixtures: the opener against Uruguay, then Spain and Cape Verde.

With an increasing spotlight on Saudi football, some stars like Salem Al Dawsari, Musab Al Juwayr and Saud Abdulhamid are already household names.

However, here are five other gifted Green Falcons to watch out for in North America.

Saudi Arabia manager Georgios Donis (C) amid preparations for 2026 FIFA World Cup

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Feras Al Buraikan

Expected to lead the line for new manager Georgios Donis, the Al Ahli forward is no stranger to the national set-up, featuring in the starting XI for the historic win against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. But his role will be different this time around, likely shifting from out wide to play as a No.9 at the point of the attack.

Now 26, Al Buraikan scored the winning goal in last month’s AFC Champions League Elite final against Japan’s Machida Zelvia to secure back-to-back continental crowns. Crucially, he worked under Donis at Al Fateh, scoring 17 goals in the 2022-23 RSL.

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Sultan Mandash

Something of a late bloomer, the 31-year-old had a superb end to the campaign after making the switch from Al Taawoun to Al Hilal in January. In the end, Mandash ended the season with six goals and five assists.

A weapon in attack, and notionally a right winger who loves to cut in on his preferred left foot, the Al Hilal forward scored his first international goal in the recent friendly with Ecuador in New York. As such, Mandash shapes as a key component of Donis’ offensive structure at the World Cup.

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Nawaf Boushal

Saudi Arabia have always been blessed with impressive attacking full-backs, and while he plays on the right for Al Nassr - European pioneer Abdulhamid is likely to occupy that position - Boushal may be utilised on the left-hand side.

That shouldn’t come as a problem, though, given where he has played there at times throughout his career.

Boushal concluded the 2025-26 campaign not only with the RSL title, but with six assists - the equal second most of any defender in the league. Typically, Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo was the grateful recipient.

Meanwhile, Boushal also ranked in the top 10 in the league for tackles - proof of his ability to impact play at both ends of the pitch. Sure to be a main man for his national team.

Nawaf Boushal tees up Cristiano Ronaldo for Al Nassr's opener in ACL Two quarter-final at Al Wasl

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Khalid Al Ghannam

Having provided a significant role in Saudi Arabia’s win at the 2018 AFC Under-19 Championships - he netted in the final - the now 25-year-old finally delivered on his potential for Al Ettifaq this season.

In a breakout campaign, Al Ghannam perched proudly as the RSL’s league’s leading Saudi Arabian attacker, with 13 goals and six assists.

Although making his international debut in 2021, Al Ghannam was absent from the international scene for almost four years, but his 2025-26 form simply couldn’t be ignored. For that, he arrives at a first World Cup full of confidence.

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Mohammed Kanno

The veteran Al Hilal midfielder is a man built for the grand stage. Kanno is no stranger to high-stakes football having played a pivotal part in two AFC Champions League title successes for Al Hilal, not to mention their historic run at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup.

An elegant box-to-box midfielder who rarely takes a backwards step, Kanno will have an important leadership role on the pitch, too. What's more, his athleticism means he's able to both disrupt and provide in equal measure.