French media reports, including Radio Monte Carlo, have revealed that French coach Hervé Renard has been dismissed from his position as head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team.
The decision was reportedly made immediately by the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, less than two months before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
According to the report, Renard was informed of his dismissal on Friday, bringing an abrupt end to his second stint with the team, which began in October 2024 after his return.
Renard previously led Saudi Arabia during the FIFA World Cup 2022, where the team delivered one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by defeating Argentina 2–1 before exiting in the group stage.
The same sources indicated that recent friendly match results played a role in accelerating the decision, particularly losses against Egypt (4–0) and Serbia (2–1) in March.
These results intensified scrutiny over the technical staff in recent weeks.
With this dismissal, Renard will miss out on participating in a third consecutive World Cup, having previously managed Morocco in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022.
The Saudi federation has not yet announced the identity of the new head coach who will lead the team in the upcoming global tournament.
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