Saudi Arabia unveiled a 30-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including six teammates of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. The Saudi Pro League title in 2025-26 cemented Al Nassr as the strongest team in the country, which translated into a major presence from the club in Saudi Arabia’s preliminary squad. Six teammates of Cristiano Ronaldo now have a chance to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Saudi Arabia national team head coach Georgios Donis has confirmed his 30-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” the Saudi Pro League announced this Saturday in a statement published on its official website. Of those players, 28 compete in the domestic league, one plays in the second division, and only one plays abroad: Saud Abdulhamid, a defender for Lens in France.
Al Nassr have the second-highest number of players called up to the national team, with six total selections. Only Al Hilal have more, with seven. The other club heavily represented in Saudi Arabia’s 30-man roster is Al Ahli, with five players.
The teammates of Cristiano Ronaldo and recent Saudi Pro League champions selected to the squad are goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi, defenders Abdulelah Al Amri and Nawaf Boushal, midfielders Abdullah Al Khaibari and Ayman Yahya, and forward Abdullah Al Hamdan.
𝗨𝗦𝗔-𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 🇸🇦✈️The 30-man preliminary squad selected for Saudi Arabia’s #FIFAWorldCup preparations 📋We’re with you all the way 💯 pic.twitter.com/0PaBd7w67G— Saudi National Team (@SaudiNT_EN) May 23, 2026
Key dates for Saudi Arabia ahead of the World Cup
This 30-player roster will eventually be reduced to 26, with FIFA’s final deadline set for June 1. Before that, however, the team will travel to the United States to continue preparations, beginning with a friendly against Ecuador on May 30 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey.
The second friendly will take place six days later against Puerto Rico in Austin, Texas, while the team’s final tune-up match is scheduled for June 9 against Senegal in San Antonio. From there, Saudi Arabia will turn their attention to their World Cup opener against Uruguay on June 15. Spain and Cape Verde will be the other teams in Group H.
Saudi Arabia coach reveals his plans
During the press conference in which Saudi Arabia unveiled its 30-player preliminary roster, head coach Georgios Donis discussed his plans ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
“I want to see my team from the first game very organised, very disciplined, to show our ambition and then to see what happens,” Donis explained. However, he later urged caution and warned against expecting “miracles” like the victory over Argentina at Qatar 2022: “It is better to look at the forest, not the tree.”