Saudi Arabia Breaks the Injury Curse Ahead of the World Cup Playoff: A Fresh Start for 2026

Road to the World Cup Playoff

Saudi Arabia's national team, under French coach Hervé Renard, continues preparations for the Asia playoff that will decide a ticket to the 2026 World Cup, gathering players at a closed camp in Jeddah.

Green Falcons will play Indonesia this coming Wednesday and Iraq on October 14, at the Al-Enmaa Stadium, as part of the second group in the Asian qualifiers.

Saudi press outlet Al-Riyadiya welcomed the good news for fans, announcing that all green shirts are fit for the playoff after recovering from injuries.

Renard’s squad headlined the news with a clean bill of health for the Asia playoff, the first time since preparations began, as winger Ayman Yahya and defender Mohammed Suleiman rejoined full-group training.

Suleiman had recovered from an injury suffered with his club Al Ahli, which had kept him out since last Thursday, while Yahya was sidelined by a knock but has now resumed, and Hassan Tembakti has overcome a cold ahead of the weekend.

And the Saudis await the arrival of three overseas-based players—Saeed Abdul Hamid, the right-back, plus wingers Muhannad Al-Saad and Marwan Al-Harbi—to complete the ranks before facing Indonesia.

According to AFC's statement, the Asian playoff system grants direct World Cup entries to the group winners, while the runners-up meet in home-and-away ties to decide the other World Cup spot via an intercontinental playoff in March.

So far, six Asian nations have qualified for the 2026 World Cup: Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Jordan.

Also confirmed is Nawaf Al-Aqidi's availability for Indonesia, after recovering from a muscle tear sustained during the Czech camp on August 31.

With 13 international appearances for the goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi, he has conceded 16 goals in those games, kept a clean sheet five times, and at 25 years old was part of the national team camp during September but missed the friendlies due to injury.

The injury curse that has haunted the Green for years persisted, as captain Salem Al-Dosari missed the Czech camp friendly, marking the 16th absence since 2018.

The previous camps also featured absences like Ayman Yahya's withdrawal after facing Al-Taawon, Ziad Al-Jahni's muscular issues, and the absence of Nasser Al-Dosri and Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

In Gulf Cup 26, injuries to key players disrupted the team and contributed to a semi-final loss to Oman.

The predicted starting XI includes Nawaf Al-Aqidi in goal; the back four Metab Al-Harbi, Jihad Zakri, Hassan Tembakti, Saud Abdul Hamid; midfield Nasser Al-Dosri, Mohammed Kano, Ziad Al-Jahni; and the attacking trio Ayman Yahya, Salem Al-Dosri, Firas Al-Briqan.

Across the current campaign, the Green faced a wave of injuries to key players such as Saud Abdul Hamid and Hassan Kadh, forcing Renard to rotate the backline and midfield on multiple occasions, testing the squad's depth and resilience.

The coach has repeatedly stressed that this is the moment to build consistency and bench strength, with training camps designed to toughen the team for the demanding schedule ahead.

Fans have kept faith, posting hopeful messages online, while analysts note that even with injuries, the squad's depth could make the difference in a tight two-legged tie.

The tactical plan hinges on a solid defense spearheaded by Tembakti and the pace of Yahya, with Al-Dosri and Kano pulling strings in the middle to feed the forwards.

And if they advance, they will join the six Asian teams already sealed for 2026, with more drama to come as the continent chases the remaining spots in March.

According to the Saudi daily Al-Yawm, the predicted lineup for the Indonesia match has Renard sticking with Nawaf Al-Aqidi in goal; the back four of Metab Al-Harbi, Jihad Zakri, Hassan Tembakti, and Saud Abdul Hamid; midfielders Nasser Al-Dosri, Mohammed Kano, and Ziad Al-Jahni; and the attacking trio of Ayman Yahya, Salem Al-Dosri, and Firas Al-Briqan.

Punchline 1: If this squad cracks the injury curse, the only thing left to break will be the post-match confetti machine.

Punchline 2: And if they win, someone should tell the trophy to stop posing—it's going to need a bigger trophy case soon.