{"id":132785,"date":"2023-10-26T13:23:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T13:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/?p=132785"},"modified":"2023-10-26T13:23:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T13:23:14","slug":"why-are-saudi-arabia-called-ksa-on-tv-when-playing-football-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluemull.com\/lifestyle\/why-are-saudi-arabia-called-ksa-on-tv-when-playing-football-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are Saudi Arabia called KSA on TV when playing football? | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

EAGLE-EYED football fans may have spotted Saudi Arabia being referred to as KSA on TV.<\/p>\n

But why is this abbreviation used, how many World Cups have Saudi Arabia played in and who is currently in the squad? Here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Why are Saudi Arabia called KSA on TV?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

KSA stands for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the country\u2019s official name, which when abbreviated fits inside the small space allocated to the game\u2019s scoreboard on TV broadcasts.<\/p>\n

The country was founded as a kingdom in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud.<\/p>\n

According to reports, both FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) use the KSA abbreviation.<\/p>\n

However, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) uses SA.<\/p>\n

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How many times have Saudi Arabia played at the World Cup?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2022, Saudi Arabia sealed their spot in Qatar and made their sixth appearance at the World Cup.<\/p>\n

The national team made their first World Cup debut in 1994 – when they reached the last 16 in the USA.<\/p>\n

They became the second Arab team in history to reach the round of 16 of a World Cup after Morocco at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia then returned to the competition in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022.<\/p>\n

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In the latest World Cup competition, the team beat eventual champions Argentina 2-1, however, they later lost the following matches against Poland and Mexico.<\/p>\n

As a result, Saudi Arabia were knocked out fourth in the group stage.<\/p>\n

In September 2023, Saudi Arabia launched their bid to host the 2034 World Cup – pushing back their initial plans to stage the 2030 tournament.<\/p>\n

The Saudi FA released a statement which read: "Today, we enter the next chapter of Saudi football: intending to bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n

"Our bid is inspired by Saudi Arabia\u2019s transformation journey, the passion of our fans, and a commitment to deliver an amazing tournament."<\/p>\n

What other competitions have Saudi Arabia competed in?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Aside from competing in the World Cup, Saudi Arabia have also competed in a number of other competitions.<\/p>\n

They have won the AFC Asian Cup three times in 1984, 1988, and 1996 and have reached a joint record six Asian Cup finals.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia are the first Asian team to reach the final of a senior FIFA competition at the 1992 King Fahd Cup – which would eventually become the FIFA Confederations Cup.<\/p>\n

The national team also regularly participates in the Gulf Cup of Nations and Arab Nations Cup.<\/p>\n

Who is in the current Saudi Arabia squad?<\/h2>\n

In August 2023, Roberto Mancini was named as the new manager of Saudi Arabia – two weeks after he resigned as Italy's head coach, following five years at the helm.<\/p>\n

Mancini's contract is claimed to be worth a staggering \u00a321.5million per year after tax.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia were managed by Herve Renard at last year's World Cup, but the Frenchman stepped down in order to join his own country's women's national team.<\/p>\n

Here we take a look at who is in the current Saudi Arabia squad.<\/p>\n