Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al-Misehal has announced his resignation following the national team’s first-round exit from the FIFA World Cup.

The Green Falcons finished bottom of Group H with two points after drawing 1-1 with Uruguay and 0-0 with Cape Verde before suffering a 4-0 defeat to Spain.

In a statement posted on X late Sunday, Al-Misehal accepted responsibility for the team’s disappointing campaign and apologised to supporters.

“The failure of the national team to qualify for the next round of the World Cup is a result that falls short of all our ambitions, and I bear full responsibility for it. I offer my apologies to everyone who hoped to see our team in a better position,” he said.

He added that stepping aside was the right decision to allow the federation to begin “a new chapter,” confirming he would not serve out the remainder of his current term.

Al-Misehal led the Saudi Arabian Football Federation for seven years and played a key role in the country’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a major part of Saudi Arabia’s broader economic diversification strategy.

Saudi Arabia was making its third consecutive World Cup appearance. The team’s disappointing tournament followed a poor run of results in pre-World Cup friendlies, which led to the departure of French coach Hervé Renard during his second spell in charge.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in football, spending billions of dollars to develop the sport and attract global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema to the Saudi Pro League.