Saudi Arabia 30: Donis Names Provisional Squad, 28 From the Roshn Saudi League, Uncapped Al Hajji In
Head coach Georgios Donis has named a 30-man Saudi Arabia provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup. 28 of the 30 play in the Roshn Saudi League; the only outlier abroad is RC Lens defender Saud Abdulhamid, who became the first Saudi to win silverware in a European domestic competition with the Coupe de France this weekend. NEOM SC winger Alaa Al Hajji travels uncapped at 30. Saudi Arabia are in Group H with Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde.
S audi Arabia have named the provisional 30-man squad that Georgios Donis will trim to the final 26 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Twenty-eight of the 30 play their club football in the Roshn Saudi League. The only player abroad is RC Lens defender Saud Abdulhamid, who lifted the Coupe de France the day before the squad list dropped, becoming the first Saudi player to win silverware in a European domestic competition. The Green Falcons are in Group H with Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde.
The press conference
Donis, formerly of Al Hilal, Al Fateh, Al Wehda and Al Khaleej, addressed the press in Riyadh on Saturday, joined on stage by Under-17 captain Ali Al Yahya. Al Yahya read out the squad, a gesture of trust from Donis in Saudi youth development. "It is better to look at the forest, not the tree," Donis said, warning against expecting "miracles" such as the win over eventual champions Argentina at Qatar 2022. "I want to see my team from the first game very organised, very disciplined, to show our ambition and then to see what happens."
The full 30-man list
Goalkeepers (4): Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ula), Nawaf Al Aqidi (Al Nassr), Ahmed Al Kassar (Al Qadsiah), Abdulqudus Attiah (Al Taawoun). Defenders (11): Abdulelah Al Amri (Al Nassr), Hassan Tambakti (Al Hilal), Jehad Thikri (Al Qadsiah), Ali Lajami (Al Hilal), Hassan Kadesh (Al Ittihad), Saud Abdulhamid (RC Lens), Mohammed Abu Al Shamat (Al Qadsiah), Ali Majrashi (Al Ahli), Moteb Al Harbi (Al Hilal), Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr), Zakaria Hawsawi (Al Ahli). Midfielders (11): Mohammed Kanno (Al Hilal), Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Nassr), Ziyad Al Johani (Al Ahli), Nasser Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Musab Al Juwayr (Al Qadsiah), Alaa Al Hajji (NEOM SC), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Khalid Al Ghannam (Al Ettifaq), Ayman Yahya (Al Nassr), Sultan Mandash (Al Hilal), Saleh Abu Al Shamat (Al Ahli). Forwards (4): Feras Al Buraikan (Al Ahli), Abdullah Al Salem (Al Qadsiah), Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad), Abdullah Al Hamdan (Al Nassr).
Al Hajji the headline newcomer
NEOM SC winger Alaa Al Hajji is the only uncapped player named. The 30-year-old travels to a World Cup at the end of his first season with the RSL newcomers, after a summer move from Al Wehda where he had previously worked with Donis. He has made 24 appearances for NEOM. The head coach's familiarity with Al Hajji is part of the reasoning, alongside the form that took NEOM into the league's top half in their debut RSL season.
Abdulhamid and the European link
Saud Abdulhamid is the only abroad-based player in the list. The Lens defender lifted the Coupe de France with the French club this weekend, becoming the first Saudi to win silverware in a European domestic competition. His selection retains the squad's only sustained European-club exposure ahead of facing Uruguay and Spain in the group.
Al Owais the only first-division name
Veteran goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais is the only inclusion from the second-tier First Division League. His club Al Ula are in the play-off final against Diriyah for promotion to the RSL, with the match scheduled later on the same day as the squad announcement.
Friendlies and Group H schedule
Saudi Arabia open their preparations against Ecuador at the Sports Illustrated Arena in New Jersey on May 30, before settling into their permanent tournament base in Austin, Texas, where they face Puerto Rico on June 5 and Senegal in San Antonio on June 9. The Senegal warm-up will reunite the squad with three Roshn Saudi League players in the visiting team — Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and the league's newly crowned champion Sadio Mané. The World Cup itself opens against Uruguay in Miami on June 15, before Spain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on June 21, and a third group game against debutants Cape Verde at NRG Stadium in Houston on June 26.
Reporting: Roshn Saudi League / SAFF, May 23, 2026.