Team Qatar target historic World Cup qualification through playoffs

alt
October 4, 2025
football
feed type icon
4-October-2025

Team Qatar target historic World Cup qualification through playoffs

Doha:  Team Qatar are set to begin the fourth and decisive round of the AFC qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, aiming to secure a place at the finals for the first time through qualification. Qatar previously featured in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ as the host nation.

Drawn in Group A alongside Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Qatar will host all matches in Doha from October 8 to 14 at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. Group B includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia, whose matches will take place in Saudi Arabia during the same period.

The six teams reached the playoff stage after finishing third and fourth in their respective groups in the previous qualification phase. The top two teams from each of the three groups — South Korea, Jordan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan, and Australia — already secured direct qualification to the 2026 finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Each playoff group will follow a round-robin format, with every team playing two matches. The group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the second-placed teams from both groups will face each other in a two-legged intercontinental playoff on November 13 and 18, with the aggregate winner advancing to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff.

Team Qatar will open their campaign against Oman on October 8, before Oman meet the UAE on October 11. Qatar will then conclude their group fixtures against the UAE on October 14.

Head coach Julen Lopetegui said preparations have gone smoothly since the conclusion of the AFC Champions League West Zone matches involving Al Sadd, Al Duhail, and Al Gharafa. “Our objective is clear — to qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs for the first time in Qatar’s history,” Lopetegui stated.

He acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead, describing Oman and the UAE as strong opponents: “We must be mentally sharp and give our absolute best to reach our target. The team has shown commitment in training, and I’m confident in the group’s ability to perform under pressure.”

Lopetegui also admitted that injuries have affected team selection but emphasized that the technical staff worked hard to prepare all available players. He noted that recent friendly results, including a draw with Bahrain and a loss to Russia, provided valuable insights into player performance and team balance.

Concluding his remarks, Lopetegui called on fans to rally behind the national team: “The players need the support of our fans now more than ever. Their presence in the stands will give us the extra push to deliver strong performances in these decisive matches.”

Among the key players in Qatar’s squad are Akram Afif, a finalist for the Asian Player of the Year 2024–2025 award, Almoez Ali, who recently returned from injury, and experienced figures such as Hassan Al Haydos and Boualem Khoukhi, whose leadership will be crucial as the team chases a historic qualification.