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Lens Defender Abdulhamid Spearheads Saudi World Cup Squad

A general view of Levi's Stadium, which for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be called San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, on May 29, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
A general view of Levi's Stadium, which for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be called San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, on May 29, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Lens Defender Abdulhamid Spearheads Saudi World Cup Squad

A general view of Levi's Stadium, which for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be called San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, on May 29, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
A general view of Levi's Stadium, which for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be called San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, on May 29, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Lens defender Saud Abdulhamid will ‌spearhead Saudi Arabia's World Cup team, with forward Salem Al Dawsari set for a third appearance in the tournament, after coach Georgios Donis named his 26-man squad on Monday.

Abdulhamid, who won the French Cup this year, is the only player based abroad in the Saudi squad for the event, which will be held in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Al Hilal's Al Dawsari, the 2025 ‌AFC player of ‌the year, is set to feature ‌at ⁠his third World ⁠Cup, after debuting in 2018 and playing in the 2022 edition.

Greek coach Donis will rely on 34-year-old goalkeeper Mohamed Al Owais, who played four games in his two World Cup appearances, while Al Hilal defender Hassan Tambakti and teammate midfielder Mohamed Kanno will lend ⁠experience.

Al Qadsiah midfielder Mohammed Abu Alshamat will ‌make it to finals, ‌while his twin brother Saleh, who plays for Asian champions ‌Al Ahli was not included in the final ‌list.

Saudi lost their first game under Donis 2-1 to Ecuador in a friendly on Sunday and will face Puerto Rico and Senegal in their final warm-ups for the World ‌Cup.

They open their Group H campaign against Uruguay in Miami on June 15, before ⁠facing Spain ⁠in Atlanta on June 21 and Cape Verde in Houston on June 26.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Nawaf Al Aqidi, Mohamed Al Owais, Ahmed Alkassar

Defenders: Saud Abdulhamid, Jehad Thakri, Abdulelah Al Amri, Hassan Tambakti, Ali Lajami, Hassan Kadesh, Moteb Al Harbi, Nawaf Boushal, Ali Majrashi, Mohammed Abu Alshamat

Midfielders: Ziyad Al Johani, Nasser Al Dawsari, Mohamed Kanno, Abdullah Al Khaibari, Alaa Al Hejji, Musab Al Juwayr, Sultan Mandash, Ayman Yahya, Khalid Al Ghannam

Forwards: Salem Al Dawsari, Abdullah Al Hamdan, Feras Al Brikan, Saleh Al Shehri.

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Tunisia Seek Fresh Spark as Lamouchi Reshapes Ageing Squad

Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
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Tunisia Seek Fresh Spark as Lamouchi Reshapes Ageing Squad

Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)
Tunisia players pose for a team photo before the Africa Cup of Nations group C soccer match between Tanzania and Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP)

Tunisia carry quiet momentum ‌into the 2026 World Cup after cruising through qualifying without conceding a single goal, but familiar doubts remain over whether their disciplined approach can trouble the game's elite on the global stage.

Drawn alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden in Group F, Tunisia once again look set to rely on defensive organization and tactical consistency, qualities that have long made them one of Africa's most resilient sides.

However, recent performances have reinforced concerns about their lack of attacking edge against stronger opposition, with Tunisia continuing to depend more on collective discipline than individual brilliance.

Coach Sabri ‌Lamouchi has responded ‌by beginning a cautious reshaping of an ageing ‌squad ⁠ahead of the ⁠finals, leaving out established veterans including midfielder Ferjani Sassi and defender Yassine Meriah as he looks to refresh the team.

"These decisions were not easy; on the contrary, they were extremely difficult," Lamouchi was quoted as saying by FIFA.com after naming his squad.

"But I am not looking to make simple decisions, nor am I looking to select players to please ⁠anyone other than the Tunisian people - neither now nor ‌during the tournament."

Instead, Lamouchi has turned ‌to new faces and younger profiles as he attempts to inject greater energy ‌without sacrificing the defensive solidity that underpinned Tunisia's qualification campaign.

Among the ‌notable additions is Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira, the 32-year-old brother of former Germany international Sami Khedira, who switched allegiance earlier this year after spending his entire professional career in Germany.

The French coach has also recalled several younger ‌players, including Paris St Germain striker Khalil Ayari and Canada-based forward Rayan Elloumi, signaling a gradual transition ⁠rather than a ⁠complete rebuild.

Still, Tunisia's hopes may depend heavily on Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, one of the few players capable of producing moments of creativity and unpredictability in the final third.

The 23-year-old, who came through Manchester United's academy before moving to Burnley, is expected to shoulder much of Tunisia's attacking responsibility during the tournament.

Tunisia's pragmatic style has often made them difficult opponents in African competition, but their World Cup record remains modest. They have appeared at six previous World Cups but never advanced beyond the group stage.

Navigating a group containing the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden may ultimately reveal whether Lamouchi's gradual rebuild has given Tunisia enough quality and dynamism to compete beyond their traditional role as stubborn outsiders.

Sports

Iraq Name Experienced World Cup Squad with Hussein Spearheading Attack

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
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Iraq Name Experienced World Cup Squad with Hussein Spearheading Attack

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)
Iraq's coach Graham Arnold waits for the start of the international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Andorra in Girona, Spain, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)

Iraq head coach Graham ‌Arnold named his final 26-man World Cup squad on Monday, relying heavily on the core group of players who secured qualification through the intercontinental playoffs.

Experienced forward Aymen Hussein is set to spearhead the Iraqi attack in North America. The veteran striker, a talismanic figure for the national team, leads a potent frontline that also features Ipswich Town's Ali Al-Hamadi ‌and talented ‌youngsters Ali Jassim and Youssef ‌Amyn.

A ⁠notable omission from ⁠Arnold's selection was Dundee defender Dario Naamo. The full-back was excluded after recently changing his sporting nationality, having represented Finland at youth international level.

Arnold's midfield selections boast considerable European experience, headlined by Utrecht's Zidane Iqbal and ⁠Heerenveen's Aimar Sher.

Arnold has also ‌decided to keep ‌goalkeeper Kamil Saadi with the squad during the training ‌camp as a precaution against potential injuries. ‌

Iraq are returning to the global showpiece event for the first time in 40 years after beating Bolivia 2-1 in April to secure the ‌final World Cup spot. They have been drawn in Group I ⁠alongside France, ⁠Senegal and Norway.

Goalkeepers: Fahad Talib, Jalal Hassan, Ahmed Basil

Defenders: Hussein Ali, Manaf Younis, Zaid Tahseen, Rebin Sulaka, Akam Hashem, Merchas Doski, Ahmed Yahya, Zaid Ismail, Frans Putros, Mustafa Saadoon Midfielders: Amir Al Ammari, Kevin Yakob, Zidane Iqbal, Aimar Sher, Ibrahim Bayesh, Ahmed Qasim, Youssef Amyn, Marko Farji

Forwards: Ali Jassim, Ali Al Hamadi, Ali Yousef, Aymen Hussein, Mohanad Ali

Sports

Qatar Seek to Move Beyond Shadow of 2022 World Cup Disappointment

Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Qatar Seek to Move Beyond Shadow of 2022 World Cup Disappointment

Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)
Qatar’s national team poses for a team photo before the international friendly football match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 28, 2026. (AFP)

Qatar will arrive ‌at the World Cup seeking to redefine themselves after a disappointing tournament in 2022 when they became the first host nation to lose all three group matches despite heavy investment and lofty expectations.

Since then, the Gulf team have quietly reasserted themselves on the continental stage.

They retained the Asian Cup in 2023 and secured qualification for the World Cup on merit for the first time after automatically qualifying as hosts in 2022.

In North America, they will face Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia & ‌Herzegovina in Group ‌B.

Preparations, however, have been mixed.

Qatar suffered a ‌surprise ⁠group-stage exit at ⁠the Arab Cup on home soil in December, while planned friendlies against Serbia and world champions Argentina in March were cancelled because of the war on Iran, denying coach Julen Lopetegui a chance to test his side against top-level opposition.

Qatar's squad remains built around a domestically developed core shaped through the ⁠Aspire Academy system that underpinned their rise ‌over the past decade.

Many of ‌the squad have progressed through the same development pathway, giving Qatar continuity ‌and cohesion, though questions remain over whether a group ‌drawn largely from the domestic league has the depth and experience required to compete consistently with elite opposition.

Veteran Hassan Al Haydos, Qatar's most-capped player and a central figure in both of their Asian ‌Cup triumphs, came out of international retirement at Lopetegui's request and was in the preliminary ⁠World Cup ⁠squad, adding leadership and experience.

Much will again depend on the long-established partnership of Akram Afif and Almoez Ali. Afif, the creative force and Asian Player of the Year in 2024, remains Qatar's main source of invention and goals, while Ali — the country's all-time top scorer — continues to offer a cutting edge in major tournaments.

Qatar no longer carry the scrutiny that surrounded the 2022 finals, and the pressure may be lower than it was on home soil, but a favorable group and back-to-back Asian Cup titles have raised fresh expectations that they can translate their continental success to the global stage.