Hervé Renard has been dismissed as head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team less than two months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to multiple French and international sports outlets.
The decision comes after a 4-0 friendly defeat to Egypt on Friday, April 11, 2026, which reportedly sealed his fate despite an otherwise honorable tenure marked by the historic 2-1 victory over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Renard, 57, had returned to the Saudi Arabia bench in late 2024 after a stint coaching the France women’s national team, which ended following disappointing results at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics. His reappointment had been framed as a push to build on the momentum from the 2022 upset and prepare for the expanded 48-team tournament hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
According to reports from Libération and confirmed by Le Parisien, Renard had not yet been formally notified of the dismissal by Saudi Arabian Football Federation officials at the time of reporting. He was still expected to lead the team in a scheduled friendly against Serbia on Tuesday, April 15, 2026, kicking off at 6:00 p.m. Local time.
The Saudi press has linked Walid Regragui, the former Morocco head coach who guided the Atlas Lions to a historic semifinal finish at the 2022 World Cup before his own recent departure, as a potential successor. Regragui was reportedly released from his Morocco duties earlier in 2026.
Renard’s initial departure from the Saudi Arabia role in late 2022 came so he could capture over the France women’s team. That chapter concluded after Les Bleues failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and underperformed at the Paris Olympics the following summer. His return to the Green Falcons in October 2024 was greeted with optimism, particularly after Saudi Arabia secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup during the Asian qualifiers.
That qualification, confirmed in October 2025, marked the nation’s third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup. The team is now set to enter the tournament without Renard on the sideline, facing the challenge of integrating a new coaching philosophy with limited time before the opening match.
The 2026 World Cup will begin on June 11 and conclude on July 19, with matches spread across 16 cities in the three host nations. Saudi Arabia’s group stage opponents have not yet been finalized as of April 2026, pending the completion of intercontinental playoffs and the final draw.
For Renard, the dismissal marks another abrupt end to a high-profile international coaching stint. Known for his motivational sideline presence and tactical adaptability — particularly in low-block, counter-attacking setups — he leaves behind a legacy defined by one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history: Saudi Arabia’s triumph over Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Lusail.
Whether the Saudi Arabian Football Federation will pursue a high-profile replacement like Regragui or opt for a transitional figure remains uncertain. What is clear is that the Green Falcons will begin their World Cup campaign under new leadership, aiming to defy expectations once again on football’s biggest stage.
The team’s next confirmed fixture is the April 15 friendly against Serbia. Fans and analysts will watch closely for signs of how the squad responds to the coaching change in the final weeks of preparation.
Stay tuned to Archysport for updates on Saudi Arabia’s World Cup preparations and reactions to this developing story.
