Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: FIFA Arab Cup 2025 Showdown in Lusail

Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: FIFA Arab Cup 2025 Showdown in Lusail

FIFA Arab Cup 2025 preview from Lusail Stadium: Morocco one point from the quarters while Saudi Arabia already through. Hervé Renard, called the “Prince of Africa” is keen to win also with Saudi Arabia. 

Today, 8 December 2025, two games from Matchday 3 of the FIFA Arab Cup are being played. Below you can find all today’s fixtures with kick-off times in CET:

18:00 Lusail (Qatar) Morocco vs Saudi Arabia
18:00 Doha (Qatar) Oman vs Comoros

 In this article on TotalSportNews.com you will find all the information you need about Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: details on current form and the head-to-head record between the two sides, the probable line-ups, the kick-off time and the referees appointed for this clash.

Group B Matchday 3: Saudi Arabia already qualified to next stage

Morocco and Saudi Arabia meet at Lusail Stadium in a decisive Group B clash at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, with both sides eyeing the knockout stage and, potentially, top spot in the group. Saudi Arabia have already booked their place in the quarter-finals, while Morocco know that a draw or a win would be enough to join them in the last eight.

Here are the matches already played in Group B:

2/12/2025 Morocco – Comoros 3-1
2/12/2025 Saudi Arabia – Oman 2-1
5/12/2025 Oman – Morocco 0-0
5/12/2025 Saudi Arabia – Comoros 3-1

Standings

Saudi Arabia 6 2-0-0 (5-2)
Morocco 4 1-1-0 (3-1)
Oman 1 0-1-1 (1-2)
Comoros 0 0-0-2 (2-6)

Morocco: discipline, resilience and a point away from the quarters

Morocco arrive with four points from their first two matches. They opened the tournament with a 3-1 win over Comoros and then drew 0-0 with Oman in a tight, physical contest. That stalemate was even more impressive considering the Atlas Lions played almost 40 minutes with ten men after Abderrazak Hamdallah was sent off in the second half, forcing them to defend deeper and show real resilience.

Coach Mohamed Wahbi has a squad built largely around domestic-based players, with experienced forwards like Hamdallah and Tarik Tissoudali expected to shoulder the attacking burden in this tournament. Morocco’s structure has been solid: they press selectively, keep a compact block off the ball and try to exploit quick combinations in the final third. The big question ahead of this game is how they will adjust in attack with Hamdallah set to miss out through suspension following his red card. That could open the door for a more mobile front line and greater emphasis on wide play.

Defensively, Morocco have conceded just once so far in the group, and another disciplined performance at the back would almost certainly be enough to get them over the line. With only a point needed to qualify, game management, patience and avoiding unnecessary risks will be crucial themes for the Atlas Lions.

Saudi Arabia: perfect start and Al-Dawsari in sparkling form

Saudi Arabia come into this match on the back of two wins from two: a 2-1 victory over Oman followed by a convincing performance against Comoros that sealed their place in the quarter-finals. Hervé Renard’s side have combined organisation without the ball with real quality in transition, and they now have the luxury of playing for top spot from a position of strength. 

Captain Salem Al-Dawsari has been one of the standout players of the tournament so far. The AFC Player of the Year has been heavily involved in both creating and finishing chances, leading the competition for direct goal contributions thanks to a series of assists and goals in the opening two matches. Around him, midfielder Mohamed Kanno and the attacking line have given Saudi Arabia a cutting edge that can punish any lapse in concentration.

With qualification already secured, Renard could rotate in a few positions, but Saudi Arabia will still be motivated to maintain momentum and secure top spot, which could offer a more favourable path in the knockout bracket. 

Key battles and what to expect

Tactically, this match sets up as a clash between Morocco’s need for control and Saudi Arabia’s capacity to strike quickly when space opens up. Morocco are likely to focus on protecting their defensive shape, controlling the rhythm through midfield and using their wide players to relieve pressure and create chances without over-committing bodies forward.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, can afford to be more flexible: they don’t need to chase the game, but with Al-Dawsari in form and the team full of confidence, they will fancy their chances of exploiting transitions and set pieces. The individual duel between Morocco’s full-backs and the Saudi wingers, as well as the battle for second balls in midfield, could go a long way towards deciding who dictates the tempo.

In short, Morocco are one solid performance away from the quarter-finals, while Saudi Arabia are looking to underline their status as genuine contenders for the trophy with a statement result at Lusail.

Morocco and Saudi Arabia on the Road to the 2026 World Cup 🇲🇦🇸🇦🏆⚽️

In 2026 Morocco and Saudi Arabia arrive at the World Cup in North America with a very different status compared to the past. The Atlas Lions, fresh from their Qatar 2022 semi-final run and a dominant qualifying campaign in the African zone, head into the tournament with clear ambitions of confirming themselves among the world’s elite. The draw has placed them in an intriguing Group C with Brazil, Scotland and Haiti: a tough section, but a perfect test for the new generation lining up alongside senior figures such as Hakimi, Amrabat and En-Nesyri. 

Saudi Arabia, at their third consecutive World Cup and seventh appearance overall, are reunited with Renard on the bench and a core led by Salem Al-Dawsari. Drawn in Group H with Spain, Cape Verde and Uruguay, they dream of going beyond their famous 2-1 win over Argentina in 2022 and turning their World Cup nights from isolated victories into a consistent journey, with a place in the 2026 round of 32 as their main objective.

Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: the 1994 showdown

The most fascinating chapter in the rivalry between Morocco and Saudi Arabia remains the clash at USA 1994. At the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, in front of more than 70,000 spectators, the Saudis were still chasing their first-ever win in the history of the World Cup. They broke the deadlock early on through a Sami Al-Jaber penalty, won by attacking at pace the symbol of the Moroccan backline, Noureddine Naybet.

Morocco responded with football and pride: a brilliant solo run down the left from Ahmed Bahja, double dribble and a perfect assist for Mohamed Chaouch, who made it 1-1 with a delicate chip over the keeper.

It looked as though the first half would end level, but in the 45th minute plus stoppage time Fuad Amin unleashed a right-footed strike from almost 30 metres. His shot caught goalkeeper Azmi by surprise and made it 2-1, followed by a shirtless sprint and arms raised towards the stands.

After the match, it was more emotion than celebration: several Saudi players were in tears in the dressing room, others stayed outside the team bus to embrace the fans who had travelled from the other side of the world. As Al-Jaber would later say, “it wasn’t a victory for money, but for the country’s soul” – Saudi Arabia’s first ever World Cup win and a decisive step towards a historic place in the last 16.

https://youtu.be/TEecp7JFmQg?si=T4IGu-7Om9RSWWau

Player to Watch: the “Dutch 10” Oussama Tannane (Morocco)

Oussama Tannane is the number 10 of this Morocco side at the Arab Cup. Born in Tétouan just a few months before the World Cup clash described above, he actually grew up on the synthetic pitches of Amsterdam, coming through the youth ranks of Zeeburgia, Ajax, Utrecht, PSV Eindhoven and then Heerenveen.

He exploded at Heracles Almelo – four goals in a single half against Cambuur, which quickly went viral in the Netherlands – and then built a globetrotting career with spells at Saint-Étienne, Las Palmas, Utrecht, Vitesse, NEC and now Umm Salal in Qatar. See the Youtube video added below.

A pure left-footer, he is a specialist from set pieces and long-range shots, but also a strong character: sometimes over the top, to the point of being suspended or sent off for protests, other times capable of winning a match with a single moment of brilliance. Famous is the episode of his loan to Las Palmas, cut short after just a few weeks: in an interview he admitted he hadn’t even realised the club played on an island, the sign of an instinctive talent rather than a meticulous planner.

After two appearances for the Netherlands Under-21 side, he opted definitively for Morocco, where he has collected caps and goals in qualifiers and friendlies. When he is in the mood, his left foot and creativity are the extra weapon that can unlock even the most blocked games.

https://youtu.be/BhkQpAOu3YA?si=zT9Q0kphjP4VbjFC

The Prince of Africa: Hervé Renard

Hervé Renard is the leading man on the touchline in this clash, and his life story reads like a film script. A former defender for Cannes and Draguignan, he ended his playing career far from the spotlight; to make a living he opened a cleaning company, waking up at dawn to empty bins and clean offices, then coaching the local team in the evening.

From there an endless journey began: assistant to Claude Le Roy, his first jobs in Asia and then the turning point in Africa. With Zambia he won a legendary Africa Cup of Nations in 2012, dedicated to the generation who died in the Gabon air disaster; three years later he repeated the feat with Côte d’Ivoire, becoming the first coach to lift the trophy with two different national teams and earning the nickname “Prince of Africa”.

His trademark is the white shirt, always the same on the touchline as a superstition: “I’ve won two Africa Cups with this shirt, why should I change it?” he once joked. With Saudi Arabia he wrote another page of history: the sensational 2-1 win over Argentina at Qatar 2022, a result that went around the world and is still cited as the perfect example of his ability to fire up teams mentally. Today he returns to the World Cup with the “Green Falcons”, a mix of veterans and youngsters to whom he asks just one thing: courage.

Where to watch ⚽📺

Check local listings at this link:
https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/morocco-vs-saudi-arabia/5uv#5493580

Morocco vs Saudi Arabia: Projected Line-Ups 🎽

These are the projected starting XIs based on recent games and squad profiles, not the official line-ups.

Morocco

Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
(4-2-3-1, projected XI)

Morocco have won one edition of the FIFA Arab Cup, lifting the trophy in 2012.
Saudi Arabia reached their first final in 1992, losing 3-2 to Egypt, but went on to win the next two tournaments in 1998 and 2002.

Who will win this clash?
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Because with us, football is always royal. ⚽👑

 

Image Hervé Renard: Kirill Venediktov, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (edited).
Flag of Morocco: Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Flag of Saudi Arabia: Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Image Katara Towers, Lusail, Qatar: Osama Madlom via Unsplash