Saudi Arabia’s Bold Sprint to World Cup 2026: Schedule, Standings, and Broadcasts
8 October 2025
After a surprising exit from the 2022 World Cup, Saudi Arabia showed resilience and pride with a landmark victory over Argentina, signaling a fresh start for the Green Falcons. The national team now pursues a spot in the 2026 World Cup, hosted in the United States and Mexico, and carries the hopes of a large, passionate fanbase. The journey begins in Asia, starting from Round Two as Saudi Arabia eyes a seventh appearance on football’s biggest stage. This overview summarizes the latest schedule and standings for Saudi Arabia in the 2026 qualifiers.
The Asian qualification path to 2026 is laid out in four rounds, involving 46 teams from the continent. In Round One, the bottom 20 FIFA-ranked teams meet in 10 two-legged ties, with 10 winners advancing to Round Two. Round Two adds the higher-ranked 26 teams in nine groups, with the top two teams from each group progressing to Round Three and earning a berth in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 as a bonus. Round Three expands to 18 qualifiers split into three groups, from which the first and second place teams advance to the World Cup. Round Four then features the third- and fourth-placed clubs from Round Three, split into two groups; the group winners go directly to the World Cup, while the runners-up face a global playoff to grab the last berth.
Broadcast channels for Saudi Arabia's World Cup qualifiers
Saudi matches in the 2026 qualifiers are broadcast on beIN Sports and through Kooora’s network. Within Saudi Arabia, fans can also watch on SSC and the Shahid platform, ensuring no one misses a crucial corner kick or a dramatic comeback.
Saudi Arabia's Round Four schedule and standings
The schedule for Round Four features two fixtures: Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, 8 October 2025 at 20:15 local time, with a 3-2 Saudi victory noted in the records, played at Al-Enmaa Stadium. The following match pits Saudi Arabia against Iraq on Tuesday, 14 October 2025 at 22:30 local time, with the result to be decided on the night. The group standings place Saudi Arabia at the top of the Round Four pool, chasing a direct World Cup berth.
Group standings and Saudi Arabia’s position in the 2026 qualifiers
In Round Three, Japan led the group with 23 points, followed by Australia on 19, and Saudi Arabia in third with 13. Indonesia, China, and Bahrain trailed in the order shown in the official tables. In Round Two, Saudi Arabia was drawn into Group 7 alongside Jordan, Tajikistan, Indonesia, and Pakistan, with Jordan and Saudi perceived as the leading contenders in the early phase of the campaign. The overall picture shows Saudi Arabia still firmly in the mix for a direct World Cup slot, with several decisive fixtures remaining across the rounds.
In short, the journey is long but the stakes are clear: qualify for the 2026 World Cup and book a place on the global stage where the world indeed keeps score and the fans keep the rhythm—and maybe the referee keeps the playlist. The calendar is packed, the fixtures come thick and fast, and the Saudi side is embracing the challenge with the same intensity you’d expect from a team chasing a dream that comes with a cup-shaped trophy at the end.
Punchline time, Sniper-style: If patience is a virtue, Saudi defense must be a saint—because every shot seems to miss only to hit the back of the net in style. Punchline 2: In the world of football strategy, Saudi’s plan reads like a survival guide for a scavenger hunt—goal after goal, and you’ll eventually find the top of the pops. QED: the net has trust issues with every goalkeeper, but it still loves the sound of a well-placed strike.
