The 2026 World Cup has delivered a sobering lesson for the oil-rich nations of the Gulf: financial firepower alone cannot manufacture success on soccer’s biggest stage.
Saudi Arabia crashed out at the group phase — again. A goalless draw against Cape Verde, the third-smallest nation ever to compete at a World Cup, confirmed the worst. It was their sixth consecutive failure to advance beyond the groups, a damning verdict on a nation preparing to host the tournament in 2034.
The fallout was immediate. Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser Al-Misehal resigned, saying his departure would allow for a “new phase” of leadership within Saudi football.
Saudi Arabia’s domestic league has been a spectacular disruptor of global club soccer, luring Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema in headline-grabbing deals.
But those megawatt signings offer little to the national team. Coach Georgios Donis was blunt in his assessment: “It was not what we wanted because when playing in such a match against a team that is more or less the same level as us, our performance was not good. So this gives rise to concern.”
He acknowledged the limits of the star-import model at international level: “When we have these stars in the Arabian League, I think that the more competitive the competition, the better our players will be. But it’s different when we’re playing for the national team because in the national team, these experiences, there needs to be a certain mentality.”
Qatar’s exit was equally disappointing. The 2022 hosts managed just one point — a dramatic late equalizer against Switzerland — before going home. It is a painful contrast: a nation that spent billions building eight state-of-the-art stadiums and hired experienced coach Julen Lopetegui, the former Spain and Real Madrid manager, to lift its international standing. Qatar has won back-to-back Asian Cups and holds its own against heavyweights like Japan and South Korea regionally, but the World Cup has remained out of reach.
Lopetegui, ever the diplomat, framed it in terms of ambition rather than failure. “I think that they show that at least we were able to compete in these kinds of matches,” he said of his squad’s effort. And despite the exit, he remained bullish about the trajectory: “You compare with other countries … for sure we know who we are. But at the same time I think that this is one little country but with a big passion, a big investment … we have to improve every day and they did this. We look to the future being optimistic about this for sure.”
The other Gulf nations fared no better. Iran, competing in World Cups since 1978, came close — three draws left them just short of advancing as one of the best third-place teams — but they have never progressed beyond the group stage in seven appearances. Iraq, in just its second World Cup in 40 years, also bowed out early.
The contrast with Africa could not be starker. Nine of ten African nations advanced to the round of 32, while Gulf football stagnates at the group stage.
For Saudi Arabia, the reckoning has prompted a course correction. Star signings from overseas have slowed, with some big names including Neymar departing. US Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker has been recruited to lead talent development, and youth investment is reported to have doubled in three years.
The focus has shifted to building from within — a recognition that importing aging European stars, however marketable, does not translate to international competitiveness.
It is a significant recalibration for a nation whose sporting ambitions are vast: buying Newcastle United, launching LIV Golf, hosting Formula 1 and world-title boxing. The World Cup on home soil in 2034 is meant to be the crown jewel of that vision. Four years ago, Saudi Arabia stunned eventual champions Argentina in one of the tournament’s greatest upsets. This time, there was no such moment of magic.
Eight years remain before they host the world. The clock is ticking, and money, it turns out, can only buy so much.
