The election to replace former president Yasser Al-Misehal at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation has been reduced to a contest between five candidates after Daoud Al-Muqrin withdrew his bid, according to Saudi newspaper Al Jazirah.
The federation opened nominations for the presidency following Al-Misehal’s resignation, with applications remaining open until 17:00 local time on Saturday. Candidates seeking to lead Saudi football must submit their nominations before the deadline.
Al-Misehal stepped down after Saudi Arabia’s national team, known as the Green Falcons, were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the group stage. The tournament is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Earlier reports from Saudi sports newspaper Al Riyadiyah had identified six potential candidates for the presidency. That list included Khalid Al-Ghamdi, the former president of Al Ahli, who was reported to be among the leading contenders.
The other names initially listed were Hatem Khaimi, Badr Al-Ruzaiza, Yahya Al-Sharif, Daoud Al-Muqrin and Ahmed Al-Wad’i.
However, Al Jazirah subsequently reported that Al-Muqrin had also withdrawn from the election. His decision followed the earlier withdrawal of Moeid Al-Shahri, a member of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
As a result, five candidates are now expected to compete for the presidency, although the nomination process will remain open until Saturday evening.
The election is scheduled to take place on 30 August, with the successful candidate set to remain in office until 2030. The vote will determine the successor to Al-Misehal and the next person responsible for leading the federation during the coming period.
The leadership change follows Saudi Arabia’s early departure from the 2026 World Cup. Al-Misehal announced his resignation after the national team’s group-stage exit, prompting the federation to begin the process of selecting a new president.
The presidency has attracted figures with backgrounds in football administration and club leadership. Al-Ghamdi’s previous role at Al Ahli places him among the most prominent names mentioned in the early reports, while Khaimi, Al-Ruzaiza, Al-Sharif and Al-Wad’i are also part of the revised list of candidates.
The final field will be confirmed once the application period has closed and the federation has completed its review of the nominations. The election on 30 August will then decide who takes charge of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation through to 2030.
