Moroccan Walid Regragui is close to taking over as coach of the Saudi national team just two and a half months before the start of the 2026 World Cup.
Hervé Renard is currently leading the Green Falcons, but expectations are growing that he will be dismissed after the recent match against Serbia during the current international break, despite his contract extending until the 2027 Asian Cup.
Succumbing to pressure, Saudi Arabia is close to sacking Renard
According to Saudi media reports, Renard’s dismissal is more likely than ever, as the Saudi Arabian Football Federation can no longer withstand the immense public pressure and calls to end the Frenchman’s second stint in Saudi football.
The Saudi national team suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Egypt, which intensified the criticism of Renard, especially since the team has shown no improvement under his leadership for nearly a year and a half.
According to reports, the Serbia match will be Renard’s final test, during which the coach’s performance will be evaluated, potentially leading to his dismissal if necessary.
Initially, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation is inclined to retain Renard until the World Cup due to the limited time available. However, if the team’s performance continues in the same vein as the Egypt match, officials will be unable to protect him any longer and will issue an immediate dismissal order.
Walid Regragui close to succeeding Renard as Saudi coach
The Saudi Sports Channel revealed that Walid Regragui is on the verge of taking over as coach of the Saudi national team, having accepted the offer presented to him in recent hours.
Regragui recently left his position as coach of the Moroccan national team and had been inclined to coach a European team in the next phase of his career. However, the opportunity to work at the upcoming World Cup proved too tempting, leading him to consider continuing his coaching career in the Arab world with a prestigious national team like Saudi Arabia.
According to the channel, there is an 80% chance that Regragui will be the new Saudi coach, unless the Saudi Football Federation makes a surprise decision to bring in another coach from the list currently under consideration.
World-class coaches are candidates to coach the Saudi national team
Recent reports indicated that two coaches declined the opportunity to coach the Saudi national team due to the tight schedule before the World Cup: Roberto De Zerbi (who is close to coaching Tottenham) and Xavi Hernandez, who previously declined the Moroccan national team job after Regragui for the same reason.
There are proposals to appoint one of the experienced coaches from the Russian league to coach Saudi Arabia, such as Simone Inzaghi, coach of Inter Milan, Matias Jääsle, coach of Al-Nassr, or Jorge Jesus, also coach of Al-Nassr.
It is said that Saudi Arabia is considering appointing Noureddine Benzekri, coach of Al-Shabab, who is very familiar with the intricacies of Saudi football. Another name being considered is Saad Al-Shehri, the national coach who currently manages Al-Ettifaq.
Other international names are on the Saudi Football Federation’s shortlist, including former Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim.
Saudi Arabia’s Group in the 2026 World Cup
It’s worth noting that the Saudi national team was drawn into a very tough group for the 2026 World Cup, alongside European champions Spain, Uruguay, and the Green Falcons, who will be making their first-ever World Cup appearance.
Saudi Arabia’s last World Cup appearance was a remarkable one, when Hervé Renard led the Green Falcons to a 2-1 victory over Argentina. However, the Saudi team was eliminated in the group stage after losses to Mexico and Poland.
In his second stint, the 57-year-old coach successfully guided Saudi Arabia to the 2026 World Cup, albeit with some difficulty, and also reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar.
