The Saudi national team's training camp has begun in Belgrade in preparation for the 2026 World Cup
The Saudi national football team began its official training camp in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sunday, as part of its preparations during the March FIFA international break. These intensive preparations are in anticipation of the friendly match against Serbia next Tuesday. This camp represents the third phase of a long-term training program aimed at preparing the Saudi team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Details of the training session and Sultan Mandash's injury
The Saudi national team players held their first training session at the Red Star Belgrade stadium in Serbia, under the supervision of French coach Hervé Renard. The session included basic warm-up exercises, followed by intensive ball possession drills, then various tactical exercises aimed at implementing the coach's ideas, before concluding with a practice match on half the pitch.
Regarding physical conditioning, some players were absent from full training sessions. Defender Abdulilah Al-Amri only participated in recovery exercises with the national team's medical staff. In a worrying development for the coaching staff, Sultan Mandash was unable to complete the training session after suffering a sudden ankle injury, requiring immediate medical attention to assess his condition and determine his availability for upcoming matches.
Historical context: Renard's project and the World Cup qualifiers
These preparations are a continuation of the successes achieved by the Saudi national team under the leadership of coach Hervé Renard, who guided the Green Falcons to a historic performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, culminating in an epic victory over eventual champions Argentina. Through these early training camps, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation aims to maintain the high level of cohesion among the players and test new talent to ensure continued continental and international dominance.
With FIFA's announcement of expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams, and Asia receiving 8.5 slots, this preparatory phase becomes even more crucial. Exposure to strong European footballing schools, such as the Serbian school, enhances the players' physical and tactical abilities, preparing them to handle the diverse conditions of the Asian qualifiers.
The importance of the friendly match and its expected impact
The friendly match against Serbia carries significant weight both regionally and internationally. Locally and regionally, this game provides a true indicator of the readiness of the Saudi national team players and their ability to keep pace with the fast-paced environment, especially with upcoming continental competitions such as the Asian Cup and the World Cup qualifiers. Internationally, playing against a top-ranked European team will contribute to improving the Saudi national team's FIFA ranking, which will positively impact their draw in upcoming official tournaments.
The Saudi national team is scheduled to conclude its preparations for this crucial match at 5:30 PM tomorrow, Monday, with a final training session at the Partizan Belgrade training center. The coaching staff has decided to open the first 15 minutes of the session to the media to cover the event and observe the team's final preparations.
