The Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s election process has entered its decisive phase, with five candidates seeking to become president after the deadline for nominations officially closed.
The candidates are Khalid Al-Ghamdi, Badr Al-Ruzzaiza, Hatem Khaيمي, Yahya Al-Sharif and Ahmed Al-Wadعي. They are competing to replace the previous board, which was led by Yasser Al-Misehal.
Al-Misehal resigned after Saudi Arabia were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, bringing his time in charge of the federation to an end. His departure prompted the start of the process to elect a new board to oversee Saudi football in the next phase of its development.
The election is taking place amid significant growth in Saudi football at domestic, continental and international level. The five candidates will now await the next stage of the process, as the election committee reviews their nomination documents and electoral lists.
Once those checks are complete, the committee is expected to publish the preliminary lists of candidates and eligible voters. A period for objections and appeals will then open in line with the approved electoral timetable.
The process will culminate in a general assembly, which will choose the federation’s new president. Until that vote takes place, the candidates remain subject to the formal review and appeal procedures set by the election committee.
The contest has attracted widespread interest across Saudi Arabia’s sporting community. The successful candidate will inherit a series of major responsibilities, including the development of domestic competitions and the continued support of the national teams.
The next president will also be expected to continue the wider project to advance Saudi football, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. That agenda forms the broader backdrop to an election that will determine the direction of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation during the coming period.
The five names reported by Saudi newspaper Al Youm are Khalid Al-Ghamdi, Badr Al-Ruzzaiza, Hatem Khaيمي, Yahya Al-Sharif and Ahmed Al-Wadعي. The final preliminary list will not be announced until the election committee has completed its review of the candidates and their electoral lists.
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