Historically, Qatar does not have a long record in the World Cup. Its first participation came in the 2022 edition when it hosted the tournament, but it was eliminated in the first round after three losses, in an experience that was tough from a sporting standpoint despite the great organizational success. Therefore, the 2026 edition appears to be a different opportunity, because it is the participation that is supposed to measure the team’s development away from the privileges of playing on its home soil.
Technically, the Spanish national team is led by Julen Lopetegui, and he announced a list of 26 players that depends largely on the core that won the 2023 Asian Cup title. This is an important point for Qatar, because it is not starting from scratch, but rather from a group that knows each other well and has played in major tournaments in recent years.
The most prominent names remain Akram Afif, the player capable of making a difference in the final third, along with Almoez Ali, the historic top scorer for the Qatari national team, while names such as Meshal Barshim, Pedro Miguel, Karim Boudiaf, Assem Madbou and Abdelaziz Hatem provide a degree of experience and stability. But the clear challenge is that most of the team’s members come from the local league, which makes contact with European and physical teams a real test of the level of speed and pressure.
Qatar was drawn in Group Two alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The team will begin its campaign against Switzerland in the San Francisco area, then face Canada in Vancouver, before concluding the first round against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle.
The first match against Switzerland will be the most difficult in terms of discipline and organization, because the Swiss team has great experience in major tournaments. As for facing Canada, the home team, it will be complicated due to the crowd and speed factors, but it may give Qatar space to play with transitions. On the other hand, the match between Bosnia and Herzegovina seems to be a turning point, especially if the Qatari team enters it while it still has a balance of points.
Qatar’s ambition in 2026 must be realistic, and it must appear more solid than in 2022, and try to compete for a transit ticket or a position that qualifies it among the best third-place finishers. The team does not enter the tournament as a major favourite, but it has Asian experience and a collective personality that can be built upon.
