Donis announces Saudi Arabia's 2026 World Cup Squad | OneFootball

Saudi National Team Head Coach Geogios Donis has announced his 30-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, featuring 28 players based in the Roshn Saudi League.

The former Al Hilal, Al Fateh, Al Wehda and Al Khaleej boss addressed the public in a press conference where he was joined by U17 national team captain Ali Al Yahya who was asked to announce the squad, a gesture reiterating Donis’ faith in the youth as the future of Saudi football.

“It is better to look at the forest, not the tree,” said Donis, warning against expecting ‘miracles’ such as the win over eventual world champions Argentina back in Qatar 2022, but rather to focus on progress and a positive campaign in North America.

“I want to see my team from the first game very organised, very disciplined, to show our ambition and then to see what happens.”

The squad saw a first inclusion for NEOM SC winger Alaa Al Hajji. The 30-year-old travels to the World Cup as the only uncapped player in the squad, having made 24 appearances for the northwestern club this season, following a summer move from Al Wehda where he had played under Donis.

A day after becoming the first Saudi player to win silverware in a European domestic competition, Saud Abdulhamid, Coupe de France winner with RC Lens, is the only player playing his football abroad to be included in the squad, while veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais is the only inclusion from the First Division League, with his club, Al Ula, set to compete in the play-off final against Diriyah later on Saturday.

Below is the full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ula) Nawaf Al Aqidi (Al Nassr), Ahmed Al Kassar (Al Qadsiah), Abdulqudus Attiah (Al Taawoun)

Defenders: Abdulelah Al Amri (Al Nassr) Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal), Jehad Thikri (Al Qadsiah), Ali Lajami (Al Hilal), Hassan Kadesh (Al Ittihad), Saud Abdulhamid (RC Lens), Mohammed Abu Al Shamat (Al Qadsiah), Ali Majrashi (Al Ahli), Moteb Al Harbi (Al Hilal), Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr), Zakaria Hawsawi (Al Ahli)

Midfielder: Mohammed Kanno (Al Hilal), Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Nassr), Ziyad Al Johani (Al Ahli), Nasser Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Musab Al Juwayr (Al Qadsiah), Alaa Al Hajji (NEOM SC), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Khalid Al Ghannam (Al Ettifaq), Ayman Yahya (Al Nassr), Sultan Mandash (Al Hilal), Saleh Abu Al Shamat (Al Ahli)

Forwards: Feras Al Buraikan (Al Ahli), Abdullah Al Salem (Al Qadsiah), Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad), Abdullah Al Hamdan (Al Nassr)

The Green Falcons start their preparations with a friendly against Ecuador at New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Arena on May 30th, before heading to their permanent base in Austin, Texas where they take on Puerto Rico on June 5th. The preparations conclude with the encounter against Senegal in San Antonio on June 9th.

Saudi Arabia has been placed in Group H of the FIFA World Cup 2026, where the journey starts on June 15th against Uruguay in Miami, before playing Spain on June 21st at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The final group stage game sees Donis’ men face debutants Cape Verde at the NRG Stadium in Houston on the 26th.