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Hervé Renard has been sacked as head coach of Saudi Arabia, a decision that comes just two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup. The news, reported by RMC Sport, confirms the rumors of a split that had been circulating for the past two weeks.
The 57-year-old French coach's second stint with the Saudis thus comes to an abrupt end. Renard was preparing to lead the Saudi national team in his second World Cup, where they are drawn in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Spain, and Uruguay. The tournament is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19.
Renard's first tenure as Saudi Arabia's national team coach spanned from 2019 to 2023. During that period, he guided the team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they achieved a remarkable feat by defeating eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in their opening match.
He subsequently resigned to take charge of the French women's national team with an eye on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. However, he returned to the Saudi national team bench in October 2024, successfully qualifying the country for the World Cup to be held in the Americas.
This isn't the first surprising coaching change so close to the World Cup's kickoff: Otto Addo left the Ghana national team after a friendly defeat to Germany in March. Renard was even linked to that position, but it was Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz who ultimately took over.
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