Arab Cup Turnaround: Saudi Arabia Plans Bold Changes Against Comoros
4 December 2025
Key changes for Saudi Arabia
The Saudi national team is set for a slate of changes as they face Comoros in the 2025 Arab Cup.
The clash is scheduled for Friday evening at the Al Bayt Stadium, the second group-stage fixture for the Greens.
Coaching and lineup notes
The most notable change will be on the bench, with French head coach Hervé Renard absent due to a trip to Washington to attend the World Cup 2026 draw, while assistant François Rodriguez steps in to supervise the setup.
Yet that isn’t the only shift. According to Al-Riyadiyah, Rodriguez is expected to reshuffle the starting XI that beat Oman 2-1 in the opener, bringing back some players who started on the bench last time out.
The team reportedly concluded its final training session on Thursday with a focus on those rotation options, reinforcing the idea that several substitutes could land starting roles.
Possible selections and progression hopes
The squad under consideration includes Abdul Ilah Al-Omari at center-back, right-back Ali Majrashi, and winger Abdul Rahman Al-Aboud, with the coach ready to finalize the lineup in the technical briefing before kickoff.
Saudi Arabia still needs a win to secure passage to the knockout rounds, avoiding reliance on the final group game against Morocco.
Punchline 1: If this plan doesn’t boost the Greens, at least the pre-match briefing will be a workout for the brain—tactics with a dash of mystery.
Punchline 2: If Saudi’s substitutions land perfectly, the only red card will be the referee asking for a selfie with the coach.
