🏆 The 2026 World Cup kicks off today, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in its 23rd edition, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the participation of 48 teams for the first time in the tournament’s history. The opening match brings together the teams of Mexico and South Africa at the historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
The Saudi team concludes its preparations
In the meantime, the Saudi national team continues its intense preparations in its camp in the United States, in preparation for participating in the World Cup for the seventh time in its history. The Green team had played its last friendly match before the tournament against the Senegal team, which ended in a goalless draw 0-0 at the Toyota Stadium in San Antonio.
Despite the goalless draw, the performance presented by the Green team received widespread praise from analysts and sports critics, who confirmed that the team has become possessed of a clear identity under the leadership of coach Georgios Donis.
Senegal coach praises the Green team
Pape Thiam, the coach of the Senegal team, said after the match: “The Saudi team is very strong, especially when they have the ball, they caused us problems from a technical point of view and we were under great pressure during the match.” A statement that reflects the advanced level that the Green team has reached before the start of the World Cup.
Analysts: The Green team has become an identity
For his part, sports critic Hawas Al-Ayed praised the team’s performance, saying: “The team presented a very reassuring match, with clarity of identity and team harmony, and the opinion about the team two months ago is different from today, and the presence of Fahad Al-Muwallad with the team is a masterstroke.” He added that Coach Donis has a clear conviction that whoever performs well will be in the starting lineup.
As for critic Youssef Al-Manaei, he confirmed that Salem Al-Dosari is the strong point in the Saudi team, indicating that the player is a distinct choice for the team in this major international forum.
Confronting Uruguay in the group stage
The Saudi national team will begin its campaign in the World Cup with a strong match against the Uruguayan team, on Tuesday, June 16, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The match will be a real test of the Green team’s capabilities against a veteran team with a great history in the tournament.
The Saudi public hopes that their team will present an honorable level that reflects the great development that Saudi football has witnessed in recent years, and renews the glories of previous participations in the 1994 and 2022 World Cups.
Popular and official support
The support was not limited to the technical aspect only, but also extended to the official aspect, as the Saudi Ministry of Health announced the application of a flexible working system on Tuesday, June 16, coinciding with the Saudi team’s match against Uruguay, to give employees the opportunity to support the Green team and follow the match, in a step that reflects the spirit of national participation and pride in the national team.
Saudi Arabia’s group ranking in the 2026 World Cup
The Saudi team is in the eighth group along with the teams of: Uruguay, and one of the qualified teams from the playoffs. The Green team aspires to overcome the group stage for the first time since the 1994 World Cup when it reached the round of 16.
📅 First match date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
📍 Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
🆚Opponent: Uruguay national football team
We will keep you updated with all the latest news about Al-Akhdam’s participation in the 2026 World Cup as it happens. 🔥🇸🇦
