Wales v Saudi Arabia

saudi arabia

Saudi Arabia have qualified for six FIFA World Cup finals, appearing in their first tournement in the USA in 1994. They have also won the Asian Cup on three occasions and will host the tournament in 2027.

History

The Saudi Arabia Football Federation was formed in 1956 and admitted to FIFA in the same year, joining the AFC in 1972.

Saudi Arabia's first official international game was at the 1957 Arab Games in Lebannon when they drew 1-1 with the hosts in Beirut.

Wales' only meeting with Saudi Arabia came in a friendly in 1986.


Wales record v Saudi Arabia

Head to Head

 PWDLFA
Away110021
ALL110021

no.datescorescorers (wales)venue 
39825/02/1986Saudi Arabia 1-2 WalesSlatter, G DaviesPrince Saud Bin Jalawi Sport City Stadium, Al KhobarFr


Saudi Arabia Honours

AFC Asian Cup winners (3): 1984, 1988, 1996

AFC Asian Cup runners-up (3): 1992, 2000, 2007


Welsh players to have made their debut against Saudi Arabia

Three Welsh players have made their debut against Saudi Arabia


Wales' opponents from Asian Football Confederation

Wales have faced eight countries from the current Asian Football Confederation.

Israel joined the AFC in 1954 and as such were an AFC member when they played against Wales in a 1958 FIFA World Cup play-off. However, at the Asian Games held in Iran in 1974, some Muslim and Arab countries refused to play against Israel in the football tournament. At the AFC Congress held during the games, Kuwait proposed Israel be excluded from all AFC competitions; a motion adopted by a vote of 17 to 13 with 6 abstentions.

Kuwait were Wales' next opponents from the AFC, with back to back matches played at The Racecourse, Wrexham and the Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium, Kuwait City in 1977. Goalkeeper, Dai Davies, was unable to play in the return leg in Kuwait having been denied entry for having an Israeli stamp in his passport.

Iran, drawn in Scotland's group for the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina, invited Wales to Tehran as part of their tournament preparations.

With the end of the British Home Championships, the Football Association of Wales accepted lucrative offers to play Saudi Arabia in 1986 and to take part in Japan's Kirin Cup in 1992.

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