Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2017
Failure to observe a minute's silence
The Saudi national team did not join a planned minute's silence before a World Cup qualifier in Australia commemorating victims of the London Bridge attack, prompting criticism.
2017
Arabian Gulf Cup withdrawal
Saudi Arabia initially withdrew from the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup alongside the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain during the Qatar diplomatic crisis. The teams later participated after the host venue was transferred to Kuwait.
2016
Refusal to travel to Iran
SAFF refused to send Saudi clubs to Iran for AFC Champions League fixtures, with the matches consequently arranged at neutral venues amid Saudi-Iranian tensions.
2015
Saudi Arabia–Palestine qualifier relocation
A World Cup qualifying match originally scheduled in Palestine was postponed several times and eventually moved to Amman, Jordan. The dispute involved Saudi Arabia's refusal to travel through Israeli-controlled borders and subsequent security and venue concerns.