FIFA World Cup 2026: Qatar seeks to go beyond debut performance

Qatar head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada aiming to improve on their debut appearance at Qatar 2022 and make history by reaching the knockout stage for the first time.

Drawn in Group B, Al Adaam will face Switzerland in San Francisco on June 13, Canada in Vancouver on June 18, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19.

Unlike their first appearance as hosts in 2022, this marks Qatar’s first World Cup qualification through the Asian qualifying process.

At Qatar 2022, the team exited in the group stage after defeats to Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands, scoring once through Mohammed Muntari, who is included in the squad for a second consecutive World Cup.

Qatar entered qualification as back-to-back AFC Asian Cup champions, having won the continental title in 2019 and 2023.

After topping their second-round group with 16 points, they finished third behind Iran and Uzbekistan in the decisive third phase, forcing them into the playoff round. Hosting Group A in Doha, Qatar drew 0-0 with Oman before defeating the UAE 2-1 to secure qualification.

Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, appointed before the final two matches of the third qualifying phase, guided the team to the World Cup through the playoffs. While retaining many Qatar 2022 players, he has also included 12 World Cup debutants in his 26-man squad.

Qatar have prepared through training camps in Doha, Dublin, and Los Angeles. The team suffered a 1-0 friendly defeat to Ireland on May 28 and will face El Salvador on June 6 before relying on stars including Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Hassan Al Haydos, Boualem Khoukhi and Karim Boudiaf in their bid to reach the round of 32.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Qatar Living - the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Qatar.

Follow Qatar Living for daily updates:

Instagram - @qatarliving

X - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living

YouTube - qatarlivingofficial