7 Saudis to take red-hot RSL form into crunch World Cup Qualifiers

With an eye cast towards next week’s deciding qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, much of the focus across the new Roshn Saudi League season has been the form of the homegrown players and their readiness for the challenge ahead.

Here, we single out seven Saudis to have staked their claim thus far, with the obvious exceptions of Al Hilal and Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al Dawsari and 2024-25 RSL Young Player of the Year Musab Al Juwayr.

Those two are so consistently great, of course, their place in the national team set-up seems secure.

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Khalid Al Ghannam - Al Ettifaq

After a season spent on loan at Al Hilal, the 24-year-old has returned to parent club Al Ettifaq and grasped his opportunity in Dammam with both hands.

Coming through firstly at Al Qadsiah and then Al Nassr, Al Ghannam was always enormously talented, as seen across two impressive seasons in Riyadh at the beginning of the decade.

The signs so far this campaign are that he has rekindled that form, with three goals and two assists after only four games – and a starring role in Al Ettifaq’s massive victory last week at Damac.

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Nasser Al Dawsari - Al Hilal

Another Al Dawsari at Al Hilal, Nasser has been given the full trust of new manager Simone Inzaghi, who has handed the 26-year-old a greater role in this version of the Riyadh giants.

Opportunity is one thing, though. Taking it is another.

However, at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, and now in the RSL, Nasser has done just that, becoming increasingly influential in the heart of the midfield alongside Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Nasser’s presence allows the pair the freedom to both dictate and decide matches.

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Abdulmalik Al Oyayari - NEOM SC

The 21-year-old raised a few eyebrows when he left Al Taawoun after their fourth-placed finish in 2023-24 to join NEOM Sports Club, who were then in the second tier.

Yet, after helping the Tabuk side earn promotion last season, Al Oyayari has become a staple in the the NEOM SC starting line-up.

Now back in the RSL, he is quickly showing why he was so highly rated when coming through at Al Taawoun, with five clearances and ranking second at the club for tackles.

There was the winner, too, against Al Okhdood in Matchweek 3 to etch his name into the NEOM SC record books.

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Hattan Bahbri - Al Kholood

Bahbri’s talent has never been in question. A cursory glance at his playing career and the clubs he has represented is proof of that, with time at Al Shabab and Al Hilal as well as Al Ittihad.

Now at Al Kholood, and aged 33, Bahbri is enjoying a new lease of life at the emergent club and is really building into the season, with an assist last time out against Damac.

Evidently, he is clearly enjoying his time in Ar Rass, where he's learning from new manager Des Buckingham.

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Saad Al Mousa - Al Ittihad

Despite the departure of Laurent Blanc, it’s still been an impressive start to the campaign for the defending champions, with three wins out of four. And, once again, Al Mousa has been a central figure in that.

Now established at the centre of the Al Ittihad defence, the powerful Saudi ranks No.1 at the club for clearances, with 17 - it's almost double the next best (Danilo Pereira, nine) - and second for tackles, with seven, highlighting the 22-year-old’s dependability.

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Feras Al Buraikan - Al Ahli

So consistent for so long has Al Buraikan been that you have to remind yourself he's still only 25.

Alongside Salem Al Dawsari, the Al Ahli forward has been the most consistent Saudi attacking threat in the RSL in recent years - he has 49 goals in 126 games since moving from Al Nassr to Al Fateh. What's more, Al Buraikan is capable of playing a variety of positions across the front three.

With a goal and an assist thus far this campaign, the Saudi international has kicked off this season in a similar vein of form.

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Turki Al Ammar - Al Qadsiah

What has been most impressive about Al Ammar this season, and last term as well, is his ability to have an impact off the bench.

Having started only once from the first four matchweeks - helping Al Qadsiah to a 3-1 win against Al Najmah on opening day - Al Ammar continues to be a game-changer if used as a substitute.

Already, he has recorded two assists and, outside of the scintillating strike partnership of Mateo Retegui and Julian Quinones, has taken the most shots of any player in red - and all from barely 130 minutes of game-time.