Saudi Arabia joins CONCACAF Gold Cup ahead of 2026 World Cup

According to AFC, Saudi Arabia National Team takes strategic steps toward 2026 World Cup — the team will participate in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

AFC announced Saudi Arabia and Qatar as hosts for 2026 World Cup Qualifications through official document number 59/2025.

“AFC has confirmed Qatar Football Association and Saudi Arabian Football Federation as Host Member Associations for the upcoming AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Playoffs”

This decision sparked controversy — the absence of a transparent bidding process led several participating nations to voice protests. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are considered to have advantages over other participants:

• United Arab Emirates
• Oman
• Iraq
• Indonesia