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Less than two months out from the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Saudi Arabia have announced that they have parted ways with coach Herve Renard, with Georgios Donis assuming the Green Falcons helm. Donis has signed a deal which runs through July 2027.
Frenchman Renard oversaw one of the tournament’s most dramatic upsets as Saudi Arabia rolled eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in their opening fixture at Qatar 2022. He was in his second spell with the team, having returned in late 2024 following an initial stint from 2019-23.
— اليوناني جورجيوس دونيس مدربًا للمنتخب الوطني ✍⬇ pic.twitter.com/HDnK3ziOaK
— المنتخب السعودي (@SaudiNT) April 23, 2026
With Renard having overseen the latter stages of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup qualification, results have dipped over the past six months. Notably that saw a near full-strength side failing to reach the final of last year’s FIFA Arab Cup™, with a disappointing 4-0 loss at home against Egypt on 27 March being followed four days later by a 2-1 defeat against Serbia.
The nation’s hopes now rest on the shoulders of 56-year-old former Greece international Donis, a man with vast coaching experience in the country. Most recently in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al Khaleej, he has also helmed local sides Al Hilal, Al Fateh and Al Wehda in what is approaching a decade of involvement in Saudi football.
That affords the German-born tactician an intimate knowledge of a player pool that will be predominantly drawn from the local league, with his first match in charge set to be a World Cup tune-up against Ecuador in New Jersey on 30 May.
Saudi Arabia will then face Cabo Verde, Spain and Uruguay in Group H of the global showpiece.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced on Thursday the appointment of Greek coach Georgios Donis as head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team, on a contract running until July 2027. Donis succeeds Hervé Renard after the federation confirmed a mutual settlement had been reached to end the Frenchman’s tenure, bringing to a close a chapter that spanned the qualification campaign for this summer’s World Cup.
The announcement came with less than two months remaining before Saudi Arabia’s opening World Cup fixture, placing Donis in one of the most high-profile managerial positions in the Arab world at its most demanding moment.
A Coach Who Knows Saudi Football
Donis, 56, arrives with a profile that distinguishes him from most foreign coaches who have taken charge of national teams on short notice. His managerial career in Saudi Arabia spans multiple clubs, including Al-Hilal, Al-Wehda, Al-Fateh, and most recently Al-Khaleej — giving him an intimate understanding of the Saudi Pro League’s rhythms, its players, and the expectations that surround the sport at the highest level in the Kingdom.
His time at Al-Hilal between 2015 and 2016 remains particularly notable. During that spell, Donis led the club to three titles: the King’s Cup, the Crown Prince Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup — a hat-trick of domestic honours that underscored his ability to manage high-pressure environments and deliver results. Earlier in his career, he also won the Cypriot league title and Cypriot Cup in 2013-14 with APOEL, demonstrating a consistency that crosses borders.
Countdown to the World Cup
Saudi Arabia are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Green Falcons are set to open their campaign on June 15, giving Donis roughly seven weeks to assemble his backroom staff, conduct training sessions, and shape a tactical blueprint suited to the squad available to him.
The Saudi Football Federation confirmed that a formal press conference will be held in Riyadh before the national team departs for its final training camp on American soil. The squad’s World Cup journey carries enormous weight — the memory of the historic victory over defending champion Argentina at the 2022 Qatar World Cup remains a reference point that Saudi fans carry into every international tournament, and expectations for a strong showing in North America are high.
For Donis, the challenge is not just tactical. It is about building confidence, establishing clarity of direction, and ensuring that a squad steeped in quality can perform to its full potential on the world’s biggest stage.
Source: FIFA, Saudi Times
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