Badr bin Sulaiman Al-Raziza’s list has become the only ticket to receive preliminary approval in the election for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation board, dramatically reshaping the contest to succeed Yasser Al-Misehal.
The election committee confirmed Al-Raziza’s list after completing its examination and verification of the submitted documents. It said the review assessed whether the candidates had met the conditions and requirements set out in the federation’s election regulations.
Seven lists initially entered the race for the presidency and membership of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation board. One of those lists later withdrew, leaving six tickets to undergo the committee’s formal scrutiny.
However, the committee announced that Al-Raziza’s list was the only one to satisfy all the eligibility requirements. The other five lists failed to meet the provisions specified in the election regulations.
The development means Al-Raziza’s group is now the sole list to have secured preliminary approval following the document-review stage. It remains subject to the completion of the remaining electoral procedures in line with the approved timetable.
Al-Raziza’s list includes Louay Mashabi as its candidate for vice-president. Lamia Bahaian, Fahad Al-Mansour, Salman Al-Sudairi, Tamer Al-Saadoun, Omar Al-Juraishi, Nicholas Coward and Gerard Rodi are listed as candidates for seats on the board.
The committee’s decision has given the election an entirely different direction from the one initially expected. With several lists entering the race, the process had appeared set to produce a competitive contest for the leadership and board positions.
Instead, the outcome of the eligibility checks has placed Al-Raziza’s list at the centre of the election. The ticket’s preliminary approval follows the conclusion of the review of all six lists that remained in contention after the withdrawal of one candidate group.
The next stage will involve the continuation of the electoral procedures according to the schedule adopted by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. The committee’s announcement does not mark the end of the process, but it leaves Al-Raziza’s list in a dominant position as the election moves forward.
The vote is being closely watched because it will determine the leadership of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation after Yasser Al-Misehal’s period in charge. The latest development has transformed what had been expected to be a multi-list contest into an election centred on a single provisionally approved ticket.
A related report on the Saudi football scene concerned Al Ahli, who signed a player described as an outcast at Al Hilal after avoiding a loan move.
