Khaled Al-Ghamdi is set to resign as president of Al Ahli Saudi on Saturday, clearing the way for a formal bid to become head of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
Saudi newspaper Al-Jazirah reported that Al-Ghamdi intends to submit his resignation from the Jeddah club before confirming on Sunday that he will stand for the federation presidency.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has already opened nominations for its upcoming elections, scheduled for 30 August, following the resignation of former president Yasser Al-Misehal at the end of last month.
According to a previous report by Saudi daily Arriyadiyah, Al-Ghamdi is expected on Sunday to unveil full details of his candidacy, including the members of his electoral list.
That list is understood to feature former players and administrators with previous experience in Saudi football, reflecting an attempt to build a ticket rooted in both sporting and executive backgrounds.
Context of Al Ahli departure
Al-Ghamdi’s decision to leave Al Ahli Saudi comes against the backdrop of a wider restructuring of the game’s governance and club ownership model in the country.
His exit coincides with a move towards scrapping elections for the boards of non-profit sporting institutions, a change that specifically affects Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.
The shift is being made in preparation for those clubs to be offered for sale under new ownership structures, signalling another step in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing overhaul of its domestic football landscape.
Al-Ghamdi will depart after two years in charge of the Al Ahli hierarchy, a period the article describes as packed with achievements for the Jeddah side.
During his tenure, the team won the AFC Champions League Elite title twice and lifted the Saudi Super Cup for the first time after a nine-year wait for that trophy.
Fallout from World Cup failure
The presidential vacancy at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation was created when Yasser Al-Misehal stepped down from his role in the wake of the national team’s World Cup disappointment.
Saudi Arabia failed to progress beyond the group stage at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, finishing bottom of Group H with two points.
Al-Misehal’s resignation at the end of last month paved the way for fresh elections, with Al-Ghamdi now positioning himself as one of the prominent contenders to succeed him.
The federation has yet to confirm the final list of candidates, which will be determined once the nomination window closes ahead of the 30 August vote.
