The international break was supposed to offer calm. Instead, it left Saudi Arabian football staring at a storm.
A 4-0 defeat to Egypt, followed by a 2-1 loss to Serbia, has dragged Hervé Renard into the harshest spotlight of his tenure. Two games, two defeats, six goals conceded, and a wave of anger that has quickly turned into open calls for change on the Saudi bench.
Inside the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the mood has been serious rather than panicked. Key figures met in recent days to pick through the wreckage of March, aware that the timing could hardly be more delicate. The 2026 World Cup is looming, not as a distant ambition but as a fixed date on the calendar in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
And yet, for now, Renard stays.
Federation backs Renard – with conditions
Despite the noise outside, the federation has repeated more than once that it has no intention of dismissing the Frenchman before the World Cup finals. That stance matters. It sends a message to the dressing room and to the region: Saudi Arabia does not want to stumble into the biggest tournament in its history with chaos on the touchline.
But backing is not the same as blind faith.
According to Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, the federation’s technical committee is deep into a full review of Renard’s work, dissecting the “previous phase” of his tenure. This is not a quick, cosmetic check. The evaluation has no hard deadline, but it is expected to be wrapped up in the coming days as the federation weighs performance, preparation and the reality of the calendar.
Inside those discussions, one figure stands out: 30%. That is the estimated likelihood of Renard’s departure, as reported by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. Not a crisis vote of no confidence, but far from a guarantee of safety. The prevailing mood leans towards patience, a wait-and-see approach shaped by a tight schedule and the proximity of the World Cup.
Saudi Arabia do not want to make a decision they regret in six months’ time. Or in three years’ time.
Group H reality check
The World Cup draw has already framed the stakes. Saudi Arabia will walk into Group H against Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde. It is a group that punishes hesitation and rewards clarity.
The format offers a lifeline: the top two teams qualify automatically, while the eight best third-placed sides from the 12 groups also reach the knockout phase. On paper, there is room for manoeuvre. On the pitch, there will be none.
Renard was hired to navigate exactly this kind of challenge. He knows tournament football, knows how to organise underdogs and squeeze tension out of favourites. That is why the federation is reluctant to rip up the project now, even with the memory of Egypt’s four goals still raw.
Yet every heavy defeat chips away at trust. Every setback sharpens the question: is this still the right man to lead the Green Falcons into a group that includes Spain’s technical precision, Uruguay’s edge and Cape Verde’s rising confidence?
Ghana call rejected
Renard’s situation has not gone unnoticed elsewhere.
French outlet L’Équipe reported that the 55-year-old received an offer to take over the Ghana national team and that he was keen on the idea. It would have been a familiar challenge: a proud football nation, hungry for a reset, turning to a coach who built his reputation on the African continent.
But that door has closed, at least for now.
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, citing its own sources, revealed that Ghanaian officials did indeed contact Renard’s agent to explore a deal. The response was clear. The Frenchman declined, choosing to continue his work with Saudi Arabia rather than walk away on the eve of a World Cup cycle that could define his legacy in the Gulf.
That decision strengthens his position in one sense. It shows commitment. It also raises the stakes. If he stays and fails, there will be no shortage of voices reminding him – and the federation – that another path was briefly open.
A delicate countdown
So Renard remains in charge, his future suspended between a federation’s caution and a public’s frustration.
The review in Riyadh will conclude soon enough. The fixtures will come faster. Group H is set, the World Cup hosts are ready, and Saudi Arabia must decide whether to double down on continuity or gamble on a late change in direction.
There is still time to back Renard fully. There is still time to move on.
What there is no time for now is hesitation.
