RIYADH — In a much-anticipated revelation, Saudi Arabia is poised to unveil renowned Italian strategist Roberto Mancini as the newly appointed head coach of the Saudi national football team in a press conference scheduled for Monday. Sources from Italy have disclosed that the announcement will take place in Riyadh, with the press conference set to convene at 5:00 p.m. local time. The event will be held at one of the city's prominent hotels, where Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), is expected to make the official proclamation. Italian sports newspaper *La Gazzetta dello Sport* has confirmed the details, emphasizing that Mancini has formalized a four-year contract, valued at €25 million per annum. Accompanying him will be an assembled coaching team, consisting of ten skilled individuals. The Saudi national football team is gearing up for participation in two friendly matches during the upcoming international break, slated for next month in Newcastle. The selected venue is the English city of Newcastle, home to a football club competing in the prestigious English Premier League. These friendly encounters against Costa Rica and South Korea hold immense significance, serving as crucial preparatory tests for the Green Falcons. The matches come ahead of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, scheduled to kick off in November. Subsequently, the team is set to compete in the Asian Cup finals, scheduled to be held in Qatar at the beginning of the upcoming year.
