Saudi Arabia Aims Higher: The World Cup 2026 Draw Sparks Bold Ambitions
5 December 2025
Key takeaways from the World Cup draw
Sami Al-Jaber, the Saudi football icon, said he was impressed by Renard's calm reaction to the 2026 World Cup draw held in Washington on Friday.
He added that he met Renard right after the draw and asked about his satisfaction, noting that Renard believes there are no truly easy or difficult groups in the tournament.
Al-Jaber recalled that in the previous edition Saudi Arabia beat the World Cup holder Argentina, but did not defeat Poland or Mexico.
With six World Cup appearances behind them, he argued for thinking beyond the group stage and pushing for a bigger ambition and greater seriousness on the pitch.
He stressed the importance of a strong, competitive league and a large pool of professionals to enrich Saudi football and raise the level of play.
Regarding the team's current form, he said he watched clips of the Oman match and saw clear progress in their playing style and freedom on the pitch.
He also noted that many teams are delivering strong performances and that the 2026 World Cup will be a different kind of tournament.
Al-Jaber argued that the 2022 upset against Argentina showed that beating giants is possible and that the gap between teams is narrowing.
He observed improvements from Korea, Japan, and Morocco, and suggested the development will continue.
Upcoming friendlies and strategic aims
Al-Jaber indicated Renard is leveraging his network with coaches from various teams at the tournament to arrange potential friendly matches.
Renard reportedly met Zlatko Dalic of Croatia to discuss the possibility of a warm-up game between their sides.
Dalic’s Croatia is seen as having a squad with players and strengths close to the Spanish style, and Renard is exploring a model similar to Uruguay in Latin America.
Saudi prospects and a Moroccan parallel
Al-Jaber suggested that Brazil, in Morocco’s group, may look for a similar template, implying that Saudi Arabia could be a comparable model given the rising levels of both Arab sides.
The draw had Morocco with Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland.
Punchline 1: If ambition keeps growing at this pace, my calendar will file for a transfer to the World Cup committee—they’ll need all the help they can get.
Punchline 2: And if the big teams keep getting surprised, I might start keeping a trophy on my desk too—just to remind myself miracles have good PR.
