The Saudi Arabian football squad has arrived in Pakistan for the June 6 Fifa World Cup 2026 Qualifier at Jinnah Stadium.
The team flew on a chartered aircraft from Riyadh to Islamabad, escorted by their well-known manager Roberto Mancini and assistant coach Yaya Toure.
Nawaf Bin-Said Al-Malki, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and representatives of Pakistan met the team at the airport in Islamabad.
The Saudi delegation’s trip to Pakistan had to be postponed. The team was initially scheduled to depart Islamabad two days prior to the match, but that was then shortened to one day due to the unfavorable state of Jinnah Stadium and the lack of suitable training grounds.
Pakistan announced their team for the game in the interim. For the eagerly awaited match, 18-year-old striker Mckeal Abdullah will support the Pakistani football squad.
Mansfield Town, which competes in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, is the team Abdullah plays for. But after earning promotion, the team will compete in EFL League One in the 2024–2025 season.
Adam Khan, the goalkeeper for Blackburn Rovers U21, who was also called up for the camp, was left out of the final roster.
The Pakistani team has also welcomed back left-back Muhammad Fazal and standout winger Otis Khan.
But due to his yearly Islamic pilgrimage to Hajj, captain and standout defender Easah Suliman won’t be available.
