Informed sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Abdullah bin Faisal Hammad, CEO of Mahd Sports Academy and current member of the board of directors of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (since May 2022), has begun preparing his file and electoral list in preparation for running in the elections for the presidency of the Saudi Football Federation, pending the green light to officially announce his candidacy when nominations open.

Asharq Al-Awsat had earlier revealed on Tuesday that Badr Al-Razizah is also considering running for the presidency of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, heralding an anticipated competition for the leadership of the federation in the coming period, as the sports community awaits the announcement of names that will officially enter the race after nominations open.

According to sources, Hammad is currently working on completing the formation of a list comprising a number of names with sports, administrative, and investment expertise, in preparation for entering the electoral race, which is expected to launch after the approval of the election timetable.

The sources added that the name of Walid Moaz, CEO of Al-Ula Club, stands out as one of the candidates to join Hammad's list, as his name is being circulated to take the position of Secretary-General of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation if the list is formed. Moaz is considered one of the administrative competencies in the Saudi sports arena, having worked for years at Al-Ahli Club and held several executive and administrative positions during his career.

The sources confirmed that Abdullah Hammad's name has been floated as one of the most prominent potential candidates for the presidency of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation since February 2024, following the Saudi national team's exit from the 2023 Asian Cup, before his name returned strongly in recent weeks as the early elections approach.

The sources continued, 'Hammad's name is not unfamiliar in terms of candidacy, as his name has been circulating in sports circles for more than two years.'

Hammad currently holds the position of CEO and Secretary-General of the Board of Directors of Mahd Sports Academy, and he is also a member of the board of directors of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation since May 2022, and has been part of the work system within the federation over the past four years.

Hammad possesses multiple field and administrative experiences, holding a bachelor's degree in training management from the University of Seram Supérieure in France, and a sports master's degree from the Johan Cruyff Institute for Sports Studies in the Netherlands, in addition to obtaining all European coaching licenses and a diploma in technical development from the German Football Association.

Hammad has also previously worked as part of the talent scouting team at Ajax Academy in the Netherlands, as an assistant coach for youth teams at IGF Club in Denmark, as a head coach for the youth team at Fortuna Düsseldorf in Germany, in addition to supervising the talent center at Aspire Academy in Qatar, before moving to executive work in Saudi sports.

This comes at a time when the elections of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation are entering a critical stage, as an extraordinary general assembly is being held on Wednesday to vote on proposed amendments to the bylaws and the election regulations, in preparation for the start of official procedures for electing a new board of directors.

It is expected that the current federation president Yasser Al-Mishal will announce during the general assembly proceedings the advancement of the election date, while he will continue to run the federation's affairs until handing over the task to the elected board, which is supposed to take place by early September at the latest.