The Saudi Arabia football team has arrived in Pakistan to compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier at Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad.
The squad, led by renowned manager Roberto Mancini and assisted by former footballer Yaya Toure, was warmly received by Pakistan officials and the Saudi Arabian ambassador Nawaf Bin-Said Al-Malki upon their arrival at Islamabad International Airport.
The Saudi team, which had initially planned to arrive in Islamabad two days before the match, was forced to reschedule due to the lack of proper training facilities and the subpar condition of Jinnah Stadium. They ultimately arrived a day before the highly anticipated fixture.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan football team, which has been struggling in the qualifiers, named their squad on Tuesday. The team will feature 18-year-old striker McKeal Abdullah, who currently plays for Mansfield Town in EFL League Two and will be competing in EFL League One in the upcoming season following his club’s promotion.
Notably absent from the squad is Blackburn Rovers U21 goalkeeper Adam Khan, who was excluded from the final lineup. Star winger Otis Khan and left-back Mohammad Fazal have made their return to the team, providing a much-needed boost.
However, the team will miss the services of captain and star defender Easah Suliman, who will be on the annual Islamic pilgrimage, Hajj.
Pakistan, currently at the bottom of Group G, has yet to secure a win in their four matches. Their campaign began with a 4-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia in Al-Ahsa in November, followed by a 6-1 loss to Tajikistan at Islamabad.
Subsequent matches saw them suffer a 3-0 defeat to Jordan during Ramadan in Islamabad and a 7-0 loss in the reverse fixture at Amman International Stadium.
Following the match against Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will face Tajikistan in their final group match of the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Pakistan squad for match
Goalkeepers: Yousuf Butt (D), Saqib Hanif, Hassan Ali
Defenders: Abdullah Iqbal (D), M ohammad Fazal (D), Haseeb Khan, Rao Omer Hayat, Mamoon Moosa, Mohammad Saddam, Waqar Ihtisham, Moin Ahmed, Abdul Rehman
Midfielders: Rahis Nabi (D), Otis Khan (D), Ali Uzair, Umair Ali, Toqeer ul Hassan, Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Zafar
Forwards: Imran Kayani (D), McKeal Abdullah, Fareedullah, Adeel Younas, Shayak Dost
The arrival of the Saudi team and the lineup announcement by Pakistan have set the stage for an exciting encounter at Jinnah Stadium, as both teams gear up for a crucial match in their World Cup qualifying journey.
