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The Ecuador national football team is set to host Saudi Arabia in an international friendly match between the two nations tonight.

The kickoff for the Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia match is scheduled for 06:30 WIB on Sunday morning, May 31, 2026.

The South American side has been placed in Group E alongside Ivory Coast, Curaçao, and Germany, while their Middle Eastern counterparts are drawn in Group H with Uruguay, Spain, and Cape Verde.

Ecuador has made significant strides in international football over the past year, a trend reflected in their World Cup qualifying campaign, where they finished second behind reigning world champions Argentina, losing only two of their 18 matches.

Having secured their World Cup spot last September, Ecuador will view Saturday’s match and their upcoming clash against Guatemala next weekend as vital opportunities to fine-tune preparations ahead of the tournament.

The team will aim to advance past the group stage for the first time since 2006 and potentially establish themselves as a dark horse in the upcoming competition.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia confirmed their World Cup qualification for the third consecutive time in November after finishing top of their group in the fourth round of qualifiers.

However, results since then have been far from ideal, with head coach Hervé Renard dismissed from his position in April following back-to-back defeats against Egypt and Serbia in his final two matches in charge of the Green Falcons.

Georgios Donis will now lead Saudi Arabia on the global stage next month and will look to quickly improve his team’s form in the weeks ahead.

Head-to-Head and Statistics: Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia

Saturday’s match marks the second-ever meeting between these two nations, with their first encounter, a friendly match in 2022, ending in a goalless draw.

Ecuador will be making their fifth World Cup appearance in North America this summer, while Saudi Arabia will participate for the seventh time.

Neither side has ever progressed beyond the Round of 16 in World Cup history.

Ecuador currently sits 23rd in the latest FIFA World Rankings, while Saudi Arabia holds the 61st position.

Prediction: Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia

Unbeaten since September 2024, with 12 clean sheets from 17 matches in that span, La Tri enter this weekend’s match as strong favourites.

Head coach Sebastián Beccacece will focus on maintaining form and fitness as key factors heading into the fixture.

In contrast, the Green Falcons have lost four of their last six matches and face a tough challenge in New Jersey on Saturday.

Predicted Score: Ecuador 1–0 Saudi Arabia