Preview: Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia - prediction, team news, lineups

Ecuador and Saudi Arabia will begin their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America when they face off in an international friendly on Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

The match will mark only the second meeting between the two nations, following their first-ever encounter in September 2022, which ended in a goalless draw.

Match preview

Ecuador are preparing for their fifth FIFA World Cup appearance in North America, where they have been drawn in Group E alongside four-time world champions Germany, African heavyweights Cote d’Ivoire and tournament debutants Curacao as they bid for a place in the knockout rounds of the global showpiece.

La Tri secured qualification for a second consecutive World Cup after finishing second in the CONMEBOL standings, losing just two of their 18 matches, fewer than any other nation while conceding only two goals in their final 12 qualifiers following the appointment of Sebastian Beccacece as successor to Felix Sanchez.

The South Americans will begin their campaign on June 15 at Philadelphia Stadium against Ivory Coast as they aim to surpass their historic 2006 performance in Germany, where they reached the round of 16 after finishing second behind the hosts before eventually being knocked out by England.

Beccacece is set to prepare his squad with friendly matches against Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning and Guatemala seven days later before Ecuador open their Group E campaign against the Elephants.

Ecuador head into the encounter unbeaten in their last six matches, all of which have been international friendlies, recording one victory over New Zealand in November while drawing against the Netherlands, Morocco, Canada, Mexico and the United States.

© Iconsport / Focus Images

Just two months before the FIFA World Cup begins, Saudi Arabia parted ways with head coach Herve Renard and appointed former Al Khaleej manager Georgios Donis, who will now be tasked with leading the Green Falcons at the tournament.

Saudi Arabia are preparing for their seventh World Cup appearance after debuting in 1994 and competing in every edition until 2006 before missing out in 2010 and 2014, although they returned strongly in 2018 and 2022 to establish themselves as one of Asia’s consistent footballing powers.

The Green Falcons have been drawn in Group H alongside tournament favourites Spain, two-time world champions Uruguay and debutants Cape Verde.

With their opening group match against Uruguay scheduled for June 15, Saudi Arabia have arranged two high-profile friendlies against Ecuador and Senegal within 10 days as part of their preparations for the tournament in North America.

Having famously stunned Argentina during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Green Falcons will now hope to equal or even surpass their best-ever World Cup performance, which came with a run to the round of 16 at USA 1994.

Ecuador form (all competitions):

Saudi Arabia form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Ecuador are yet to officially confirm their final World Cup squad, but Beccacece has the advantage of selecting from a 34-man group invited for the upcoming friendlies, with captain Enner Valencia joined by Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and highly rated youngster Kendry Paez among the headline names.

However, Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie and Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Willian Pacho will both miss the match due to their involvement in this weekend’s UEFA Champions League final in Budapest.

New Saudi Arabia head coach Donis has selected an experienced preliminary 30-man squad largely made up of domestic-based players, including captain Salem Al-Dawsari, France-based defender Saud Abdulhamid and five members of recently crowned AFC Champions League winners Al Ahli.

Saud Abdulhamid linked up with the Saudi squad in New York on Thursday after completing the required documentation procedures to represent the national team.

The only fitness concern for Donis remains goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi, who is continuing his rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the medical staff but could still feature against Ecuador on Sunday.

Ecuador possible starting lineup:

Valle; Franco, Ordonez, Torres, Estupinan; M. Caicedo, Vite, Paez; Yeboah, Plata, E. Valencia

Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:

Al-Owais; Abdulhamid, Al-Tambakti, Thikri, Kadish; Kanno, Al-Juwayr, Al-Shamat, Al-Dawsari; Al-Hamdan, Al-Buraikan

We say: Ecuador 1-1 Saudi Arabia

As this is a preparatory fixture ahead of the FIFA World Cup following a demanding domestic season, both managers are expected to prioritise tactical adjustments and squad assessment over intensity.

Ecuador will be determined to maintain their unbeaten run, while Donis will be eager to begin his tenure positively and gradually implement his style of play with the Saudi squad, which is why a low-scoring draw appears the most likely outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.