The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has begun reshuffling the senior national team's affairs following a disappointing exit from the 2026 World Cup. Officials are leaning strongly towards ending the tenure of Greek coach Georgios Donis and finding a new technical director to lead Saudi Arabia through the coming phase.
Saudi Arabia bowed out at the group stage with just one point from three matches. Draws with Uruguay and Cape Verde, plus a heavy defeat to Spain, told the story, and criticism mounted towards the technical staff and their selections throughout the tournament.
According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, the federation is considering sacking Donis after the World Cup failure. They have placed Portugal's Jorge Jesus on the list of candidates to take charge, alongside another Portuguese coach whose identity has not been revealed.
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Jesus stands among the most prominent names in the frame. During his most recent spell with Al-Nassr, he led the team to the Saudi Roshn League title last season, fulfilling captain Cristiano Ronaldo's dream of adding the league crown to his record at the club, before later leaving his post.
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The Portuguese boss brings long experience in Saudi football, having coached several clubs there, on top of successful spells in Portugal and Brazil. That CV makes him one of the leading candidates to take the reins for the coming phase.
A final decision is expected within days. Saudi football officials want to launch a new project that returns the national team to competitiveness after a disappointing 2026 World Cup that sparked widespread fan demands for sweeping technical changes.