Saudi Arabia confirm Georgios Donis will lead team into next phase

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has confirmed that Georgios Donis will remain as Saudi Arabia manager, despite his current contract running out in July.

A federation official told Al-Riyadiya on Saturday that the Greek coach would continue in his role. The decision comes after the rescheduling of the Asian Cup, with Donis having expressed his desire to lead Saudi Arabia at the 2027 tournament.

Donis discussed his position after guiding Saudi Arabia to a 3-2 friendly win over South Korea at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Friday.

“You know that I am a straightforward person. I am not an ordinary coach; I am an integral part of Saudi Arabia and have had many experiences here,” he said.

“After the Asian Cup was postponed, I told my coaching staff that our contract would end before the tournament’s new date. Some people then began mentioning the names of major coaches, but those rumours were completely unhelpful.

“Even after I returned from Jeddah, a Greek friend in NEOM told me there were reports that I would be dismissed after the Gulf Cup. Yet here I am today, still with the national team.”

Donis said the speculation had not affected him personally but believed it had damaged the atmosphere around the squad.

“Rumours do not affect me personally, but they harm the dressing room. The people around us know the scale of our work, and what has been said is unfair to us,” he added.

The manager also outlined his plans for the coming months, saying: “My plan is ready and I have explained it to everyone. There will be specific meetings with the national teams’ technical staffs. We will improve step by step, and we have a new generation with all the ingredients for success.”

He has prepared a training-camp programme for Saudi Arabia in March, followed by participation in the Concacaf Gold Cup as part of preparations for future commitments.

The victory over South Korea came only days after reports questioned Donis’ future. He had led Saudi Arabia to the Gulf Cup title in its 27th edition, Gulf Cup 27, hosted by Jeddah five weeks ago, ending a 23-year wait for a trophy.

Some critics, however, argued that Saudi Arabia’s success had been largely down to the strength of its players compared with their regional opponents. They pointed to the team’s failure to progress from the group stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Donis said the South Korea fixture provided an important test. The result was Saudi Arabia’s first win against South Korea in 21 years and the 12th match of his tenure, which began in April.

His record now stands at six wins, four draws and two defeats, with Saudi Arabia scoring 16 goals and conceding nine.