Saudi Arabia's March Warm-Ups: Fresh Faces, Big Hopes for World Cup 2026
24 March 2026
Saudi Countdown: Two March Friendlies Ahead of World Cup 2026
The Saudi national team has begun its march toward the 2026 World Cup with two high-profile friendlies in March as part of the final pre-tournament preparations for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The team is aiming to sharpen its cohesion, pressing tempo, and attacking options ahead of the tournament.
Saudi Arabia will host Egypt in a Friday friendly at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, before traveling to Serbia for a March 31 encounter as part of their build-up to the World Cup. Both matches are seen as key tests for depth and momentum as the squad banks experience against different styles.
The squad will play the matches without captain Salem Al-Dawsari, who is sidelined with an injury. It is expected that Turki Almar or Khaled Al-Ghannam will step in as alternatives, following form at Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Ettifaq respectively, with coach focusing on competition for places.
Turki Almar spoke to the Saudi press, saying the atmosphere is good and the players are ready to gel and push for strong results in both friendlies, with the aim of representing the Green in the World Cup in the best possible way.
He added that every player carries responsibility and has a chance to prove himself to join the senior squad, whether in the first team or among those competing to earn a call-up. The coach stressed that performances in March could influence selections for the World Cup squad in the summer window.
Almar closed with a message to fans, promising impressive results in the two friendlies and faithful representation of Saudi Arabia at the World Cup. Saudi Arabia is drawn in Group 8 at World Cup 2026 alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde.
Punchline time: If football were a sniper drill, these friendly matches would be bullseyes—calm, precise, and a little merciful to the defense. If patience were a weapon, Saudi fans would already be at kickoff; the calendar, alas, remains the attacker.
