How Many Times Has the Saudi National Football Team Qualified for the World Cup Finals?

The Saudi national football team has qualified for the World Cup finals six times. These qualifications were for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, the 1998 World Cup in France, the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Except for the 1994 World Cup, the Saudi national football team has not progressed beyond the group stage in any of its other appearances. The 1994 participation is exceptional as it was the only time the team advanced past the group stage to the Round of Sixteen. The team scored its first World Cup goal through player Fuad Anwar in the eighteenth minute of their first match against the Netherlands in the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Building on years of progress across various sectors, including sports, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced its bid on October 4, 2023, to host the 2034 World Cup. Through a comprehensive plan, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) aims to channel the country’s resources and capacities into creating an unparalleled experience for football fans at this global event. This bid has endorsements from 130 football federations worldwide.

The Kingdom officially submitted its bid to host the 2034 World Cup on July 29, 2024, in Paris, France, at a ceremony organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The official delegation was led by the Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki, and the President of SAFF, Yasser al-Misehal. Two children from the SAFF's regional training centers also participated in the event.

The submission of the bid file is one of the stages in the candidacy process that began with the Kingdom’s announcement of its intention to host the 2034 World Cup. This will be followed by official inspection visits by FIFA and a comprehensive evaluation of the bid file. The official announcement of the host country for the 2034 World Cup is scheduled for December 11, 2024.