Get Ready for Qatar 2026: A Deep Dive into Star Players, Team Rosters, and Historic Moments!

Qatar comes into the tournament with substantial experience from recent international competitions, having hosted the 2022 World Cup and secured victories in the 2019 and 2023 Asian Cups. The national team relies heavily on players from the Qatar Stars League and features a solid core that has competed together in various AFC tournaments and regional events.

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Qualification Achievement:</strong></p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd="">Qatar topped Group A in the fourth round of AFC qualifiers to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After finishing fourth in the previous round, the team needed to secure victories against the United Arab Emirates and Oman, ultimately earning four points, notably highlighted by their win over the UAE.</p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>World Cup Group Stage Schedule:</strong></p>

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    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">June 13: <strong><u>Qatar vs. Switzerland</u></strong> — San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara, California (3 p.m. ET)</span></li>
    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">June 18: <strong><u>Qatar vs. Canada</u></strong> — BC Place, Vancouver, Canada (6 p.m. ET)</span></li>
    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">June 24: <strong><u>Qatar vs. UEFA Playoffs A</u></strong> (Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Northern Ireland) — Seattle Stadium (3 p.m. ET)</span></li>
</ul>

<div class="delta-video-container article-content mg-b-25" playerscreenurl="https://d3ayhwgrwyc4j8.cloudfront.net/mcvod/fmc-6rvcr4k5frs0ikkt_VX-14894126--518650/hls/v1_1/index.m3u8" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd="" data-v-8432653a="">
    <h3 class="video-title" data-v-8432653a="">Group B: Canada, UEFA Playoffs A, Qatar, Switzerland | 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw</h3>
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    <p>Group B in the 2026 FIFA World Cup features Canada, UEFA Playoffs A, Qatar, and Switzerland.</p>
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<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Previous World Cup Performance:</strong></p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Qatar's Best World Cup Result:</strong></p>

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    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">Failed to advance past the group stage in their only World Cup appearance.</span></li>
</ul>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Key Players for Qatar:</strong></p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd="">Akram Afif, Qatar's most-acclaimed player, holds the Golden Ball from the 2023 Asian Cup and has won two AFC Player of the Year awards, along with multiple Qatar Stars League titles with Al Sadd. Almoez Ali, another key player, secured the Golden Boot at the 2019 Asian Cup and has become the all-time leading scorer for the national team. Both have been instrumental in Qatar's development, achieving success on both domestic and international levels.</p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Qatar's Coach for the World Cup:</strong></p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd="">Julen Lopetegui arrives with extensive experience in international and club football, having managed Spain in the 2018 World Cup and held prominent roles across Europe. His club achievements include winning the 2020 Europa League with Sevilla, along with management positions at Porto, Real Madrid, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.</p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd;"><strong>Top Scorer in Qatar's History:</strong></p>

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    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83=""><i>Almoez Ali: 55 goals (current player)</i></span></li>
    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">Has played for LASK, Cultural Leonesa, and Al Duhail</span></li>
</ul>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>All-Time Cap Leader for Qatar:</strong></p>

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    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83=""><i>Hassan Al Haydos: 184 caps (active player)</i></span></li>
    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">Plays for Al Sadd</span></li>
</ul>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>Nickname of the Qatar Team:</strong></p>

<p class="ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content" use-external-image="false" data-v-746446fd=""><strong>About Qatar:</strong></p>

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    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">Population: Around 3.1 million</span></li>
    <li class="ff-h" data-v-7259cf83=""><span data-v-7259cf83="">Capital: Doha</span></li>
</ul>

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