Saudi Arabia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup ended in the group stage, with the Green Falcons finishing bottom of Group H. Two draws and one heavy defeat left the team on two points from three matches, with no wins.
Below is a recap of all three group matches, the final Group H standings, and why Saudi Arabia missed out on the 2026 World Cup knockout rounds.
Saudi Arabia’s Group H results
Saudi Arabia drew with Uruguay and Cape Verde and lost 4–0 to Spain, finishing fourth in a four-team group. The Green Falcons scored only once across the three matches and conceded five.
| Fixture | Date & venue | Final score |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Mon 15 June — Hard Rock Stadium, Miami | 1–1 draw |
| Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Sun 21 June — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta | 4–0 loss |
| Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Fri 26 June — NRG Stadium, Houston | 0–0 draw |
Saudi Arabia 1–1 Uruguay
Saudi Arabia opened its campaign with a 1–1 draw against Uruguay on 15 June at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The two sides had met before at the 2018 World Cup, when Uruguay won 1–0 in the group stage.
Spain 4–0 Saudi Arabia
Spain routed Saudi Arabia 4–0 on 21 June at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Saudi Arabia’s heaviest defeat of the tournament. Lamine Yamal and a Mikel Oyarzabal brace did the damage, with a Hassan Tambakti own goal completing the scoreline, according to FIFA’s official match report.
Cape Verde 0–0 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia closed its group stage with a scoreless draw against debutants Cape Verde on 26 June at NRG Stadium in Houston. The result was not enough to lift Saudi Arabia off the bottom of Group H, and it marked the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
Final Group H standings
Spain topped Group H unbeaten and Cape Verde’s surprise run to second place eliminated both Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. Saudi Arabia finished fourth on goal difference, level on points with Uruguay but conceding one more goal.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain (advanced) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +5 | 7 |
| 2 | Cape Verde (advanced) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Uruguay (eliminated) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | −1 | 2 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia (eliminated) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | −4 | 2 |
Cape Verde’s run made it the first World Cup debutant to reach the knockout stage since Slovakia in 2010, drawing all three group games without a win. Only the top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed sides, advanced to the round of 32 in this 48-team tournament.
Why Saudi Arabia didn’t advance to the knockouts
Saudi Arabia went out because two draws and a heavy loss to Spain left the team level on points with Uruguay but behind on goal difference. The exit also triggered a leadership change at home.
- Saudi Arabia recorded zero wins in three matches, drawing twice and losing once.
- The team scored a single goal across the group stage and conceded five, the worst goal difference of any side in Group H.
- This was Saudi Arabia’s third straight early exit, after 2018 and 2022, and its sixth World Cup without reaching the knockouts since advancing to the last 16 at its 1994 debut.
The exit prompted Saudi Arabian Football Federation chief Yasser Al-Misehal to resign on 29 June, citing performance that had “fallen far short of the ambitions of Saudi football,” per Arab News. Coach Georgios Donis, appointed only weeks before the tournament, faced criticism over squad selection and preparation time.
Saudi Arabia’s 2026 World Cup squad
Saudi Arabia named a 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, led by captain Salem Al-Dawsari. Coach Georgios Donis selected a predominantly home-based squad, with RC Lens defender Saud Abdulhamid the only European-based player.
Goalkeepers
- Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ula)
- Nawaf Al Aqidi (Al Nassr)
- Ahmed Al Kassar (Al Qadsiah)
Defenders
- Saud Abdulhamid (RC Lens)
- Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal)
- Abdulelah Al Amri (Al Nassr)
- Ali Lajami (Al Hilal)
- Hassan Kadesh (Al Ittihad)
- Moteb Al Harbi (Al Hilal)
- Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr)
- Ali Majrashi (Al Ahli)
- Jehad Thikri (Al Qadsiah)
- Mohammed Abu Al Shamat (Al Qadsiah)
Midfielders
- Mohammed Kanno (Al Hilal)
- Nasser Al Dawsari (Al Hilal)
- Ziyad Al Johani (Al Ahli)
- Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Nassr)
- Sultan Mandash (Al Hilal)
- Musab Al Juwayr (Al Qadsiah)
- Alaa Al Hajji (Neom SC)
Forwards
- Salem Al-Dawsari (Al Hilal)
- Firas Al-Buraikan (Al Ahli)
- Abdullah Al Hamdan (Al Nassr)
- Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad)
- Khalid Al Ghannam (Al Ettifaq)
- Ayman Yahya (Al Nassr)
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Saudi Arabia do in the group stage at the 2026 World Cup?
Saudi Arabia finished bottom of Group H with two points from three matches. The team drew 1–1 with Uruguay, lost 4–0 to Spain and drew 0–0 with Cape Verde, without recording a single win.
Who did Saudi Arabia play in the group stage?
Saudi Arabia faced Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde in Group H. All three matches were played in the United States, in Miami, Atlanta and Houston.
What was the score when Saudi Arabia played Spain?
Spain beat Saudi Arabia 4–0 on 21 June 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It was Saudi Arabia’s heaviest defeat of the tournament.
Why didn’t Saudi Arabia advance to the knockout rounds?
Saudi Arabia finished level on points with Uruguay but had a worse goal difference, leaving it fourth in Group H. Only the top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed sides, advanced to the round of 32.
Where did Saudi Arabia finish in the final Group H standings?
Saudi Arabia finished fourth and last in Group H, behind Spain, Cape Verde and Uruguay. The early exit led Saudi Arabian Football Federation chief Yasser Al-Misehal to resign on 29 June.
Sources
- FIFA — World Cup 2026 Standings
- FIFA — Spain v Saudi Arabia 4-0 Match Report
- Wikipedia — 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H
- ESPN — Group H at the 2026 World Cup: Teams, Records, Stats to Know
- ESPN — Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia, Final Score
- Arab News — Saudi Arabian Football Federation Chief Yasser Al-Misehal Resigns After World Cup Group-Stage Exit
- Al Arabiya English — Three Takeaways: Green Falcons Grounded by Cape Verde as World Cup Exit Confirmed
- Al Jazeera — Saudi Arabia’s Early FIFA World Cup Exit Prompts Federation Chief to Resign
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