Al Riyadiah newspaper listed the five remaining candidates in the SAFF presidential race as Khalid Al-Ghamdi, former president of Al Ahli club, Hatem Khamis, Badr Al-Ruzaiza, Yahya Al-Sharif and Ahmed Al-Wadiei. The publication stated that Dawoud Al-Muqrin withdrew from contention while Muaid Al-Shahri had pulled out in an earlier phase. This narrowed the field from the initial six nominees reported by the newspaper when nominations first opened following the creation of a vacancy at the top of the federation.
Al Riyadiah had tracked the candidate list from the start of the process and confirmed no additional withdrawals or entries in its latest update. The newspaper’s coverage indicated that the five will proceed to the election without further changes at this stage. Its reporting has been referenced across Saudi sports media as the primary account of developments in the nomination phase.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced that the presidential and board elections will be held on Aug. 30 with the victor set to serve until 2030. This schedule was outlined in the federation’s official statement released after the position became vacant and was echoed in subsequent coverage by regional outlets. The process will determine leadership for the body overseeing the national team and domestic football competitions.
Arab News reported on June 29, 2026 that longtime president Yasser Al-Misehal resigned after the senior national team’s group-stage exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The sports publication noted that Al-Misehal accepted responsibility for the campaign in a statement and chose not to continue in the role. His departure concluded a seven-year period at the head of the federation.
Inside World Football reported that Saudi Arabia finished at the bottom of its World Cup group following draws against Uruguay and Cape Verde combined with a loss to Spain. The publication carried Al-Misehal’s social media comments in which he described the result as falling short of ambitions and cited the need for a new phase. The resignation prompted the federation to schedule the Aug. 30 election and open the nomination period that produced the current five-candidate field.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation had moved promptly after the resignation to organize the vote and select a successor along with a new board of directors. Al Riyadiah’s updates have kept track of the evolving candidate list without detailing individual platforms or backgrounds beyond the initial announcements. The election outcome will establish leadership for Saudi football through the remainder of the decade.
