When was the Saudi Arabian Football Federation founded?
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation was founded in 1955 by Prince Abdullah bin Faisal. It joined FIFA the following year and affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation in 1974.
Questions about Saudi Arabian Football Federation
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many times has Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup?
Saudi Arabia has won the Asian Cup three times, in 1984, 1988, and 1996. The team reached five consecutive Asian Cup finals from 1984 through 2000, losing the 1992 and 2000 finals to Japan by a score of 1-0 each time.
What is the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's greatest achievement in FIFA tournaments?
Saudi Arabia's under-16 team won the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship held in Scotland, defeating the host nation in the final. This made Saudi Arabia the first Asian team ever to win a FIFA tournament, a distinction they held as the only Asian men's team to have done so as of August 2021.
When did Saudi Arabia first qualify for the FIFA World Cup?
Saudi Arabia made its FIFA World Cup debut in 1994. In that tournament the team advanced to the round of sixteen after defeating Sweden 3-1, which remains its best World Cup result. The team qualified for four consecutive World Cups from 1994 through 2006, then again for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Who was the first Asian club to play in the Club World Cup?
Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia was the first Asian club to participate in the Club World Cup, competing in the year 2000. Saudi club Al-Ittihad followed in 2005.
What controversy surrounded Saudi Arabia's 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Palestine?
Saudi Arabia refused to travel to the West Bank or pass through Israeli-controlled borders to play Palestine during 2018 World Cup qualification. A match originally scheduled for the 13th of October 2015 in Al-Ram was rescheduled multiple times and ultimately played at the Amman International Stadium in Jordan after neither a Palestinian nor Saudi venue could be agreed upon.