Saudi Arabia starting lineup vs Cape Verde confirmed for FIFA World Cup 2026 match

The Green Falcons sit at the bottom of Group H ahead of tonight’s game.

Saudi Arabia take on Cape Verde in their final Group H clash in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on June 26. The Middle Eastern side are at the bottom of the group with just a solitary point but remain in the hunt for a place in the Round of 32.

The Green Falcons began their campaign on a positive note, clinching a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Uruguay. Abdulelah Al-Amri put his side ahead in the first half, but Maxi Araujo’s late strike rescued a draw for La Celeste.

However, Georgios Donis’ men completely faltered in the next game against Spain. Lamine Yamal scored on his first start in the tournament, while Mikel Oyarzabal netted a first-half brace. An own goal from Hassan Altambakti secured a 4-0 win for La Roja.

The result meant that the Green Falcons remained rooted at the foot of the table. However, they can still progress to the knockout stages, as a win in tonight’s game will take them to four points, making them one of the eight best third-placed teams to qualify.

Also Read: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia: Five key battles to watch out for in FIFA World Cup 2026

Let’s look at the Saudi Arabia confirmed lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Cape Verde:

Saudi Arabia (4-4-2): Mohammed Al-Owais; Saud Abdulhamid, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Hassan Al-Tambakti, Nawaf Boushal; Sultan Mandash, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Salem Al-Dawsari (c); Mohamed Kanno, Firas Al-Buraikan.

Substitutes: Nawaf Al-Aqidi (gk), Ahmed Ali Al-Kassar (gk), Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, Khalid Al-Ghannam, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Moteb Al-Harbi, Ziyad Al-Johani, Musab Al-Juwayr, Saleh Al-Shehri, Alaa Hejji, Hassan Kadesh, Ali Lajami, Ali Majrashi, Jehad Thakri, Ayman Yahya.

Thoughts on the lineup

Mohammed Al-Owais has been solid between the sticks for the Green Falcons and retains his position in the starting lineup. Abdulelah Al-Amri and Hassan Tambakti make the centre-back pairing. Saud Abdulhamid, who plays in Ligue 1 side Lens, starts as right-back, with Al-Nassr’s Nawaf Boushal starting on the left.

Nasser Al-Dawsari starts in the middle of the park along with Abdullah Al-Khaibari. Meanwhile, Sultan Mandash makes his first appearance in the World Cup, starting on the right flank. Veteran attacker Salem Al-Dawsari starts on the left wing.

Mohamed Kanno, who was dropped to the bench in the last game, returns to the starting lineup and forms a two-man attack with Al-Ahli striker Firas Al-Buraikan, who has 16 goals for his national side.

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