7M - International Friendly Preview: Ecuador vs Saudi Arabia - prediction, team news, lineups

Ecuador and Saudi Arabia will launch their final countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they clash in an international friendly at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey on Sunday.

This encounter represents only the second time these two nations have met on a football pitch, following a scoreless stalemate in their inaugural friendly matchup back in September 2022.

The South Americans enter the fixture in steady form under manager Sebastian Beccacece, putting together a six-match unbeaten streak in recent friendlies. La Tri have proved incredibly stubborn to break down, shipping just two goals across their final 12 qualification matches to finish second in the grueling CONMEBOL standings. With a World Cup group featuring Germany, Ivory Coast, and Curacao on the horizon, Beccacece will use this match and a subsequent game against Guatemala to fine-tune his defensive shape.

Saudi Arabia arrive in North America in a period of transition after abruptly parting ways with manager Herve Renard just two months before the tournament. Newly appointed boss Georgios Donis takes charge of the Green Falcons, inheriting a side that has struggled for consistency with four defeats in their last five outings. Drawn into a challenging World Cup group alongside Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde, Donis faces immediate fixture pressure to get his squad organized before their opening group match against the Uruguayans on June 15.

Team News

Ecuador have yet to narrow down their final World Cup selection, allowing Beccacece to assess a broad 34-man preliminary squad. Mainstay names like talismanic forward Enner Valencia, Chelsea midfield engine Moises Caicedo, and teenage talent Kendry Paez are all available for selection. However, La Tri will be light in central defense as both Piero Hincapie of Arsenal and Willian Pacho of Paris Saint-Germain are unavailable due to their participation in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest this weekend.

Saudi Arabia manager Donis has opted for continuity in his initial 30-man squad, leaning heavily on established domestic players. The group features prominent figures like captain Salem Al-Dawsari and five players fresh from continental success with AFC Champions League winners Al Ahli. Full-back Saud Abdulhamid joined the camp in New York on Thursday after completing his travel paperwork. In goal, Nawaf Al-Aqidi remains a minor fitness doubt while recovering from an injury, though he has not been ruled out entirely.

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

Prediction: Ecuador 1-1 Saudi Arabia.