Saudi Arabia suffer fresh Firas Al-Braikan absence ahead of South Korea friendly

Saudi Arabia will be without Firas Al-Braikan for training again as they prepare to face South Korea in their first friendly of the international break.

The match will be played on Friday, 13 November 2026, during Saudi Arabia’s training camp in Doha, Qatar, with the fixture forming part of preparations for their upcoming commitments.

Al-Braikan, the Al-Ahli striker, missed another team training session because of a cold-related illness. His continued absence has raised doubts over whether he will be fit to feature against South Korea, less than 72 hours before the match.

The forward is regarded as one of Saudi Arabia’s key players. He finished as the leading scorer at the previous edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup, Gulf 27, and helped the national side win the tournament for the first time in 23 years.

Saudi Arabia did receive a boost elsewhere, with Saud Abdulhamid taking part in group training for the first time at the current camp. The Lens defender arrived on Monday and joined his international team-mates after completing his travel to Doha.

The Saudi Arabian national team’s schedule during the camp is:

– 13 November 2026: South Korea v Saudi Arabia – friendly – 17 November 2026: Saudi Arabia v Uzbekistan – friendly

Saudi Arabia will play Uzbekistan in their second friendly in Doha on Tuesday, 17 November 2026.

The team’s immediate focus, however, is the meeting with South Korea, with uncertainty continuing over whether Al-Braikan will recover in time to be involved.