Saudi Arabia to meet Pakistan in World Cup Qualifier in Al-Ahsa on Nov. 16

Saudi Arabia is set to clash with the Pakistan national team in the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the 2026 tournament. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) confirmed the match, marking the commencement of the Green Falcons’ journey in the Asian qualifiers.

The event is scheduled to take place on November 16 at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Ahsa, Eastern Province, hosted by the Al-Fateh Club. This match signifies Saudi Arabia’s entry into the qualifiers for both the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup.

In a statement released on their official account, the Saudi national team expressed their anticipation, stating, “From Al-Ahsa we begin… The road to the World Cup begins from Al-Fateh Stadium. Our date is Thursday, Nov. 16; Hi, people of Al-Ahsa.”

Following this, the Saudi team will play against their Jordanian counterpart on November 21 in an away match and then host Tajikistan on March 21, 2024. The teams will clash again in Tajikistan on March 26. The subsequent matches will see the Saudi team face Pakistan on home turf on June 6, 2024, and conclude their second round of qualifiers by hosting the Jordanian national team on June 11.

Notably, the encounter between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will mark the first meeting in the extensive history of their World Cup qualifiers. In previous encounters, the Green Falcons have engaged with Jordan in 13 matches, securing six victories, while Jordan won five, with two matches ending in draws. Against Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia won three matches and drew one in a total of four encounters.