Saudi Coach Georgios Donis Reshapes Squad for Gulf 27
Saudi coach Georgios Donis has fired an early warning shot before Gulf 27 – and he’s done it without some of the biggest names in Saudi football.
The Greek head coach announced his 26-man squad for the tournament, which will be staged in Jeddah from 23 September to 6 October, and the omissions jumped off the page immediately.
Big names out
Salem Al-Dawsari, the captain and long-time talisman of the Green Falcons, is out. So is Roma defender Saud Abdulhamid. Both were part of Saudi Arabia’s squad at the recent World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, yet neither will feature in the regional showpiece on home soil.
They are not the only casualties of Donis’ first major squad shake-up. Ahmed Al-Kassar, Ali Majrashi, Ali Lajami, Ayman Yahya, Saleh Al-Shehri and Khalid Al-Ghannam have also been left out, taking to eight the number of World Cup players cut from the Gulf 27 list.
It is a bold reset. A clear break from the group that carried Saudi Arabia onto the global stage just months ago.
New blood in Jeddah
Those exits have opened the door for a wave of new faces. Donis has turned to eight fresh options as he reshapes the side for a demanding group campaign.
Hamed Al-Shanqiti, Mohammed Mahzari, Zakaria Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Abdullah Al-Salem, Rayan Hamed and Hammam Al-Hammami have all been called up, offering energy and competition across the pitch.
According to the Saudi national team’s official account on X, the final 26-man squad for Gulf 27 is:
- Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al-Owais, Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Hamed Al-Shanqiti
- Defenders: Abdulelah Al-Amri, Jihad Zikri, Rayan Hamed, Hassan Kadesh, Hassan Tambakti, Nawaf Boushal, Mohammed Mahzari, Mutaib Al-Harbi, Zakaria Hawsawi
- Midfielders: Musab Al-Juwayr, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Mohammed Kanno, Ziyad Al-Johani, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Alaa Haji, Sultan Mandash, Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, Hammam Al-Hammami, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat
- Forwards: Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Firas Al-Buraikan, Abdullah Al-Salem
Experience remains in key areas – Mohammed Al-Owais in goal, Mohammed Kanno in midfield, Firas Al-Buraikan up front – but the spine around them is being tested and redefined.
Group of jeopardy
Saudi Arabia will not have long to settle. The hosts open their campaign against Kuwait on 23 September at Al-Inma Stadium in King Abdullah Sports City, a fixture loaded with history and expectation.
Oman await three days later on 26 September, before the Green Falcons close out their Group One schedule against Iraq on the 29th. Every match comes with edge; every slip could be costly.
The draw has placed Saudi Arabia in Group One alongside Kuwait, Oman and Iraq. Group Two features Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Yemen, setting up the prospect of heavyweight clashes deeper into the tournament.
Donis has made his call. No Salem Al-Dawsari, no Saud Abdulhamid, and a raft of new names stepping into the spotlight. On home soil, in a tight group and under intense scrutiny, this revamped Saudi side will quickly reveal whether the gamble ushers in a new era – or invites a storm.
