Saudi Arabian Football Federation presidency race set for next stage

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s election campaign has entered its decisive phase after nominations officially closed, with five candidates competing to succeed the previous board led by Yasser Al Misehal.

The candidates seeking the presidency are Khalid Al-Ghamdi, Badr Al-Ruzayza, Hatem Khaيمي, Yahya Al-Sharif and Ahmed Al-Wadعي. Their applications and electoral lists will now be reviewed by the election committee before the preliminary list of candidates and voters is announced.

Al Misehal resigned from his position after Saudi Arabia’s exit from the 2026 World Cup, bringing to an end his time at the head of the federation and triggering the process to elect a new board to oversee Saudi football in the coming period.

According to Saudi newspaper Al Youm, the five-way contest is taking place as the game in Saudi Arabia continues to experience significant growth at domestic, continental and international levels.

The election committee is expected to open a period for objections and appeals once the initial lists have been published. That process will follow the approved electoral timetable and precede the general assembly meeting, where the federation’s new president will be chosen.

The election has attracted considerable interest across Saudi Arabia’s sporting community. The successful candidate will inherit responsibility for a number of major issues, including the development of domestic competitions and the continued support of the national teams.

The next president will also be expected to carry forward the wider project aimed at developing Saudi football in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The closing of the nomination process marks an important step towards the formation of a new Saudi Arabian Football Federation board. However, the candidates must first pass the review of their files and electoral lists before the official preliminary list is confirmed.

The election follows the departure of Al Misehal, who stepped down after the national team’s World Cup campaign ended. His resignation closed the previous chapter of the federation’s leadership, while the forthcoming general assembly will determine who takes charge of the next phase.

With nominations now complete, attention will turn to the committee’s review, followed by the objections and appeals process. The final stages of that timetable will lead to the assembly responsible for selecting the federation’s new president.

The result will shape the direction of Saudi football at a time when the sport is receiving increased attention across the country and competing at a range of levels. The president-elect will therefore face the task of balancing the immediate priorities of domestic competitions and national teams with the longer-term ambition of expanding the game’s development under Saudi Vision 2030.