Saudi Arabia’s football federation has opened talks with several coaching candidates, including former Morocco head coach Walid Regragui, as it considers changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Saudi media reported.
Saudi Sports Channel said negotiations with Regragui were at an advanced stage, estimating progress at around 80%, without citing official confirmation from either party.
The reported talks come as pressure mounts on current Saudi coach Hervé Renard following a heavy 4-0 friendly defeat to Egypt on March 27.
Renard, who is in his second stint with the Green Falcons, guided the team to qualification for the expanded 2026 World Cup but has come under scrutiny due to recent performances.
The Saudi channel said other high-profile names had also been considered, including former Barcelona coach Xavi and Roberto De Zerbi, formerly of Marseille, though both were reported to have declined interest.
Regragui, 49, is widely regarded as one of the most successful coaches in Moroccan football history.
Appointed head coach of Morocco in August 2022, just months before the World Cup in Qatar, he led the Atlas Lions to a historic semi-final run, eliminating Belgium, Spain and Portugal and becoming the first African nation to reach the last four.
He also won the African Cup of Nations with the Atlas Lions in Morocco in 2025.
Before his international success, Regragui won the CAF Champions League with Wydad Casablanca in 2022 and built his coaching reputation domestically. As a former defender, he enjoyed a long playing career in France and Spain and earned more than 40 caps for Morocco.
