Saudi Arabia team safe after plane 'fire'

The Green Falcons, who fell to a 5-0 defeat at the hands of hosts Russia on the opening day of the World Cup, were on their way to Rostov in preparation for their second Group A match when the incident happened.

Reports in Saudi Arabia suggest the wing of the aircraft caught fire as they approached Rostov-on-Don Airport, but a statement on the official Saudi Arabia Twitter account downplayed the severity of the incident.

The statement read: “The Saudi Arabian Football Federation would like to reassure everyone that all the Saudi national team players are safe, after a technical failure in one of the airplane engines that has just landed in Rostov-on-Don airport, and now they’re heading to their residence safely.”

Saudi Arabia face Uruguay on Wednesday at the Rostov Arena before finishing the group stages with a clash against Egypt next Monday in Volgograd.