Saudi Arabia's Arab Cup Reboot: A Bold Path to World Cup 2026

Historical Perspective

Arab Cup is no longer merely a friendly where Saudi Arabia cultivates young talent to gain experience for future duties as the Green Falcons. The tournament has grown in importance, and the national team is expected to compete for the title or, at minimum, reach the late stages. A failure to do so would signal that adjustments are needed at the highest levels.

Historically, Saudi Arabia is among the Arab Cup’s giants, ranking as the second most successful side with two titles, two behind Iraq. Aside from Iraq and Saudi, no other nation has won more than once; Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria have each won it once. Saudi also sits in a strong position regarding medals, with four (two gold, one silver, one bronze). Only Iraq has more medals, totaling five (four gold, one bronze). Saudi leads by at least two medals over its closest rivals—Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco—each with two medals.

Yet this edge is tempered by a stark reality: Saudi hasn’t won the Arab Cup in 23 years, since clinching its second consecutive title in 2002. In 2012, they finished fourth, losing to Libya in the semifinal and then to Iraq in the third-place match. In the expanded first edition under FIFA’s umbrella, the Green Falcons exited in the group stage, finishing third in Group 3 behind Morocco and Jordan and failing to advance after losses to those teams and a draw with Palestine.

Technical Take

This edition marks a departure from recent campaigns: the Saudi squad fields the full national team under French manager Hervé Renard, not the Olympic side that appeared in 2021. With a core drawn from players in the Saudi Pro League, the team is expected to be near full strength while the Roshn League takes a pause for the Arab Cup. Saud Abdulhamid, a Lens defender, and Marwan Al-Sahafi of Royal Antwerp are the notable omissions; their absence is not viewed as crippling given the depth in key positions. Renard has not relied on Marwan Al-Sahafi in the last two international windows, and Saud Abdulhamid was left out in one stop before being recalled later, signaling that these absences aren’t catastrophic. Other teams also arrive with shifted priorities; Algeria, Egypt, and even Morocco will field strong squads in Group B alongside the Green Falcons. Even Tunisia, while fielding top-level players, will lose several stars to European leagues that don’t pause for the Arab Cup, potentially strengthening Saudi’s hand.

Mental Angle

The 2025 Arab Cup comes roughly six months before the 2026 World Cup, to which the Green Falcons have officially qualified, marking a tighter preparation window than in 2021. This makes the Arab Cup a vital step in gearing up for a world-class competition while facing real FIFA-sanctioned pressure. Beyond tactics, the event is a psychological lift: a generation that has not enjoyed a major trophy for about 22 years—aside from a Gulf Cup victory—needs a confidence boost ahead of the global showdown. Winning would provide a notable morale lift for players and coach Renard, while failure would invite stinging criticism of the staff and squad. In short, the Arab Cup is more than hardware; it’s mental oil for the engine bound for 2026.

Punchline time: If they win the Arab Cup, the trophy will finally stop collecting dust and could finally get a proper passport stamp. If they lose, Hervé Renard can explain that the ball had a mind of its own—you know, just trying to find its path to stardom with a dramatic offside flourish.

Punchline 2: The ball’s getting auditions for a lead role in the World Cup—let’s hope it signs with the Green Falcons before it asks for a stunt double.