Qatar aim to make history count at FIFA World Cup 2026
DOHA: Qatar head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup determined to make a stronger impact than they did during their debut appearance as hosts in 2022.
Having qualified through the Asian qualifying process for the first time in their history, Al Adaam arrive in North America with renewed confidence and ambitions of progressing beyond the group stage.
Drawn in Group B, Qatar will face Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their campaign begins against Switzerland in San Francisco on June 13 before meetings with Canada in Vancouver on June 18 and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.
The tournament represents a fresh opportunity for a team eager to move on from the disappointment of Qatar 2022. Despite the overwhelming success of the competition as a global event, the hosts endured a difficult campaign on the pitch, losing all three group matches against Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
Striker Mohammed Muntari scored the nation’s only goal of the tournament and returns for a second consecutive World Cup appearance.
Qatar’s road to the 2026 finals was far from straightforward. After topping their second-round qualifying group, they finished third behind Iran and Uzbekistan in the decisive third phase, forcing them into the playoff round. Hosting the playoffs in Doha, Qatar drew 0-0 with Oman before defeating the United Arab Emirates 2-1 to secure qualification.
The Qatar Football Association made several coaching changes before appointing Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, who guided the team through the final stages of qualification. While retaining many experienced players from the 2022 squad, Lopetegui has also introduced fresh faces, with 12 players set to make their World Cup debuts.
Led by stars such as Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Meshaal Barsham, Qatar will hope a blend of experience and new talent can help the Asian champions deliver their best-ever World Cup performance on football’s biggest stage.
