The president of Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation, Yasser Al-Misehal, has announced his resignation after the Green Falcons were knocked out of the World Cup in the first round. Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with two points, after two draws against Uruguay (1–1) and Cape Verde (0–0), and a heavy 4–0 defeat to Spain.
“The failure of the national team to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result that falls short of all our ambitions, and I bear full responsibility for it. I offer my apologies to everyone who hoped to see our team in a better position,” he wrote on X late Sunday.
“A sense of responsibility requires giving the opportunity to open a new chapter, and I have decided not to continue until the end of my current term,” he added.
At the head of the federation for seven years, Misehal played a central role in Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup, a cornerstone of its strategy to diversify an economy heavily dependent on oil.
Saudi Arabia was playing in its third consecutive World Cup this year.
A series of poor results in friendly warm-up matches in March had already cost French coach Herve Renard his job, bringing a second spell by Renard to an end after he returned to replace Italian Roberto Mancini.