Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the extraordinary general assembly meeting of the Saudi Football Federation, which lasted about an hour on Wednesday afternoon, witnessed approval and voting on a set of amendments proposed by the federation to the general assembly members, a step that represents a key regulatory milestone in the transitional phase Saudi football is going through following the resignation of federation president Yasser Al-Mishal.

According to the same sources, Al-Mishal opened the meeting by apologizing for the national team's results in the 2026 World Cup, before moving on to review the key achievements and milestones during his tenure as federation president. This was followed by a vote on the proposed amendments, while the last half hour of the meeting was dedicated to members' interventions and comments on the items discussed.

The amendments included redefining the electoral list to consist of 12 candidates for the board of directors instead of 11, with the list comprising a president, a vice president, and 10 members instead of a president, vice president, and 9 members as currently practiced.

The meeting witnessed heated discussions between resigned Saudi Federation President Yasser Al-Mishal and Suleiman Al-Hutlan, vice president of Al-Hilal Club, regarding the right to speak in the remote meeting. The latter demanded that members not be muted, but Al-Mishal said this procedure is legal and adopted by international and continental federations, and that any club objecting to an item or something in the meeting can vote against, while objectors are allowed to speak after the discussions.

Al-Mishal announced during the meeting that his board will not continue and that he will hand over the federation presidency to the new elected president by the end of next August.

The amendments also included adding a paragraph to Article 33 regarding the formation of the board of directors, stating that if the board decides not to complete its term, the electoral process will begin, and the current board's work will be handed over to the new board according to the timeline approved by the Elections Committee, a step the federation said aims to fill a legislative vacuum related to the transitional phase.

In the same context, sources revealed that Ahmed Al-Qunaian, head of the Appeals Committee, is expected to head the Elections Committee, noting that the system allows either him or the head of the Disciplinary Committee, Bandar Al-Humaidani, to take over the presidency of the Elections Committee, an arrangement consistent with the nature of the upcoming sensitive phase during which the committee will oversee the organization of the nomination and voting process to choose the new leadership to succeed Al-Mishal.

Asharq Al-Awsat had earlier revealed that elections would be held within a period of 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the general assembly meeting, making the period between August 19 and next September 2 the closest date for the vote, with the elected board to assume its duties before the start of the Gulf Cup competitions scheduled in Jeddah at the end of September.

These developments come after Al-Mishal announced, in a statement posted on his account on the X platform at the end of last month, his resignation from the federation presidency after 7 years in the position, assuming full responsibility for the Green Falcons' elimination from the group stage.

The Saudi national team had bid farewell to the 2026 World Cup at the bottom of Group Eight with only two points, after drawing 1-1 with Uruguay, losing 4-0 to Spain, and then a goalless draw with Cape Verde.