Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers match.
With just two games remaining in this stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain find themselves four points adrift of Saudi Arabia and already out of the running for a top-two finish. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, showed signs of progress in March after the departure of Roberto Mancini, adopting a more pragmatic style that earned them a goalless draw away to Japan.
Bahrain
Bahrain have taken only one point from their last four qualifying outings, losing three of them without scoring. In Group C, they have managed just five goals—the second-lowest tally in the group, ahead of only Saudi Arabia, who have scored four. However, Saudi Arabia have shown far more resilience at the back, conceding seven fewer goals. Bahrain are still without a home win in four attempts during this qualification campaign.
Saudi Arabia
The return of Hervé Renard to the Saudi Arabia dugout seems to have brought greater stability to the team. After a turbulent period under Roberto Mancini, the squad began to build more coherent connections on the pitch. In March, they claimed a 1:0 win over China and followed it up with a draw in Japan. Seven of their eight qualifiers have featured total under 2.5 goals. Saudi Arabia remain in contention for a top-two finish, particularly with Australia at risk of dropping points in the next round.
Bahrain vs Saudi Arabia Prediction
When the sides met earlier in the group stage under Roberto Mancini, Saudi Arabia were held to a goalless draw at home by Bahrain, with Salem Al-Dawsari missing a penalty. In Riffa, both teams are expected to take a cautious approach once again, prioritising defensive structure over attacking risk.
