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Ahmad Salah

Translated by

A billion riyals annually: Al-Mishal reveals his future and puts Al-Ruzaiza before the biggest challenge

Saudi Pro League
Saudi Arabia

A goal not achieved: former Saudi federation president reveals the reason for his departure

Yasser Al-Misehal has stepped down as president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation after seven years in charge. Before departing, he chose to put his tenure under the microscope. He spoke about the national team's record, the reasons behind his exit, the federation's finances and his relationship with the incoming administration, and he insisted he will keep serving Saudi football away from official positions.

  • Reasons for departure

    Al-Misehal confirmed that the Saudi national team's result at the 2026 World Cup was one of the main reasons that pushed him to leave his post. He had hoped to surpass the achievement of the 2022 World Cup, but once the tournament ended he found that goal out of reach.

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    Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, as reported by Asharq Al-Awsat, he said: "I always used to tell myself that the 2026 World Cup should surpass what was achieved in 2022, and after the World Cup ended I found that the goal had not been reached, so I preferred there to be new blood, and the national team's result at the World Cup was one of the main reasons for my departure."

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  • The biggest challenge for the new administration

    Asked about the biggest challenges facing the new administration, Al-Misehal singled out the pressure that comes with the first team's results.

    He said: "The biggest challenge is certainly that the sporting public looks at the results of the first team. When we started, the ranking was 70 and today we have reached 58 and first in the Gulf."

    That progress isn't enough, he insisted, "because our ambition is always at the highest levels". He backed the new administration to redouble its efforts and urged fans to stay patient and supportive.

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  • No recommendations for the new council

    On his contact with Badr Al-Rzaiza, Al-Mishal explained that the new president reached out when he first began weighing up a run for office. He insisted he never saw it as a personal contest.

    He said: "Brother Badr contacted me when he considered standing, and there was more than one candidate. On the contrary, I encouraged and supported them, because I hope for someone to come and continue this journey, and this is what should happen within the sporting institution."

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    He also denied handing the new board any specific recommendations, insisting the administrations are getting on with their work properly.

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  • A billion riyals annually

    Al-Mishal revealed that the federation's budget amounts to nearly one billion riyals annually. It is disbursed on a monthly basis according to an approved mechanism, and he sees no financial challenges facing the federation at present.

    He said: "The budget is nearly one billion riyals annually, and it is disbursed on a monthly and approved basis, and we work according to a mechanism, so there are no financial challenges, praise be to God, thanks to this generous support."

    The federation publishes its financial statements annually, he added, with no observations on them from the chartered accountant. He affirmed that the budget exists and is approved, and that the previous administration is leaving its post with a sufficient sum to cover upcoming obligations.

    This financial situation, he indicated, stems from the support that Saudi sport enjoys from the leadership, alongside contributions from the private sector.

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  • "My relationship with football is not about positions"

    Al-Misehal insisted he won't drift away from Saudi football once he leaves the federation presidency, stressing that his bond with the game has never depended on holding office. "I will continue to serve football, no position ties me to it," he said. "I am continuing in my work and the committees I work in, and I will place seven years of experience at everyone's service." He had already sent a farewell message to the new administration after Badr Al-Ruzaiza was endorsed as federation president, saying the past seven years had been built on collective work in the service of Saudi sport, and that every success came down to the combined efforts of everyone involved.

    The federation, he revealed, boasts a vast network of relationships with football bodies across the globe. It maintains links with more than 200 federations, updating their data continuously, right down to the names of federation presidents and secretaries-general.