South Florida's Saudi Arabian community shares anticipation ahead of their team's 1st FIFA World Cup match

The excitement is building among South Florida's Saudi community as Saudi Arabia prepares to face Uruguay in the first FIFA World Cup match held in Miami. The match is scheduled for June 15 at Hard Rock Stadium.

While the Saudi Arabian population in South Florida is relatively small, the match is generating pride and anticipation among local residents with ties to the country.

For Saudi natives Mohammed Alqarni and Moteb Alshahrani, who now call South Florida home, having their national team play in Miami is a meaningful moment and an opportunity to share their culture with the broader community.

"We usually watch the team from far away. So to have the national team play right here in Miami is very special," Alqarni said. "And for many of us, it feels like a piece of home is coming to us."

Both Alqarni and Alshahrani said that soccer has always been a major part of their lives.

"Everybody is filled with excitement, and I think they are showing Miami we are here," Alqarni said.

For Alshahrani, the sport is deeply rooted in national identity. "Futbol in Saudi Arabia is not just entertainment," he explained. "It's a cultural tradition and a source of national identity." He reiterated this sentiment later, saying, "Soccer in our country is much more than a sport in Saudi Arabia."

As the World Cup approaches, the men acknowledged the stiff competition awaiting the Green Falcons.

"You know it's not easy to defeat Uruguay and Spain. Both of them are so strong," Alshahrani said. "But we believe in Green Falcon." Alqarni added simply, "We hope we will make it."

The match is also serving as a central point for the Saudi community to gather and celebrate through shared traditions, including celebrating, gathering at cafes and serving traditional Saudi coffee.

Alshahrani, who has lived in South Florida with his children for five years, noted his family is eager to watch the team take the field in their adopted hometown.

Both men plan to attend the match. Saudi Arabia is also set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034.