Al-Dawsari’s absence removes a recognised attacking leader and the player who has worn the captain’s armband for the national team. Abdulhamid’s omission also leaves Saudi Arabia without one of its most prominent overseas-based defenders.
The report says eight players involved at the recent World Cup will miss the regional tournament. That group reportedly includes Ahmed Al-Kassar, Ali Majrashi, Ali Lajami, Ayman Yahya, Saleh Al-Shehri and Khalid Al-Ghannam.
For Donis, the immediate task is not simply replacing individual quality. It is rebuilding the team’s leadership structure before a demanding group campaign.
The reported squad includes eight new faces, among them Hamed Al-Shanqiti, Mohammed Mahzari, Zakaria Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Abdullah Al-Salem, Rayan Hamed and Hammam Al-Hammami.
That level of change gives the tournament a clear development angle, but Group 1 offers limited time for experimentation. Saudi Arabia are scheduled to open against Kuwait on September 23, face Oman on September 26, and finish the group stage against Iraq on September 29.
The sequence means Donis must establish his preferred defensive shape and attacking combinations immediately. A slow start would leave little room to recover across the three-match group schedule.
The Kuwait fixture will provide the first indication of whether Saudi Arabia’s turnover has created energy or uncertainty. The captaincy decision, the role of the newcomers and the replacement for Al-Dawsari’s attacking influence will all be watched closely.
The next storyline arrives on September 23 in Jeddah: whether Donis’ reported rebuild can produce a controlled start before Oman and Iraq test the new-look squad further.