Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup 2022™, combining meticulous organisation with outstanding hospitality to deliver an exceptional tournament that highlighted the Gulf region on the world stage. Making their debut in the global showpiece, Qatar’s Maroons gained invaluable experience from facing elite teams on home soil and in front of their own fans.
Now, the Qataris are set to write a new chapter in their football story after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™ – this time through their performance on the pitch and not the privilege of hosting. With a squad combining experience and youthful ambition, they mean to confirm that their 2022 appearance was the start of a sustainable journey at football’s highest level.
Qatar coach: Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui took charge of the Maroons in May, leading them just months later to a berth at the FIFA World Cup 26 – Qatar’s first via the regular qualification process. His appointment continued the Qatar Football Association’s development strategy, drawing on his extensive experience managing top clubs and national teams.
Lopetegui boasts an impressive résumé, having led Spain from 2016 to 2018 as they waged an unbeaten qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. He followed that with spells at Real Madrid and Sevilla, winning the 2020 UEFA Europa League with the latter, then managed Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United in the Premier League.
The former goalkeeper came through Real Madrid’s academy and went on to represent Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano. He also played for Spain in the mid-1990s. Lopetegui is known for his calm demeanour and meticulous tactical analysis, qualities that have been reflected in Qatar’s style during this new phase.
Qatar’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
Qatar will learn their group-stage opponents at the Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 26™, which is set to take place at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC at 12:00 local time (20:00 in Doha) on Friday, 5 December.
Full World Cup 26 match schedule
How Qatar qualified for World Cup 26
In the fourth round of Asian preliminaries, Qatar sealed direct qualification for the World Cup with a 2-1 home win over the United Arab Emirates on 14 October. Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel both scored second-half headers to ensure the Maroons finished top of their group and secured a spot in the tournament.
From the start of the qualifiers, Qatar delivered consistent, convincing performances, topping their second-round group with 16 points from five wins, one draw and one loss. They kept up the strong showings in the third round but finished fourth behind Iran and Uzbekistan, who took the two automatic berths, leaving them to continue their quest into the fourth round. There, with Lopetegui now at the helm, the team showed balance and resilience, collecting four points from two matches against Oman and the UAE to clinch a well-earned qualification.
Qatar’s World Cup history
Qatar’s first World Cup
When the opening whistle blew at Al Bayt Stadium, with more than 67,000 spectators in the stands, it was truly a historic moment for Qatar: their first-ever FIFA World Cup™ appearance, on home soil and surrounded by supporters, amidst a festival atmosphere in a country that had dreamed of such a day for years.
Under Felix Sanchez, Qatar opened the 2022 tournament against Ecuador, losing 2-0 on a night marked by all too natural nerves. They were stronger on the attack in their second outing, against Senegal at Al Thumama Stadium, but still fell 3-1 to that year’s Africa Cup of Nations champions. Qatar set their sights on a respectable finish in their final match, against the Netherlands, but the European side’s experience won out in a match decided by goals from Cody Gakpo and Frenkie de Jong.
While their debut ended at the group stage with no points, Qatar gained something more valuable than results: real-world experience against footballing schools from three continents, which laid a foundation for the growth that has carried the Maroons, four years later, to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 26 through merit.
Qatar’s World Cup goalscorer
Mohammed Muntari etched his name into Qatari football history when he scored the country’s first-ever World Cup goal. The goal came in the 78th minute of the match against Senegal at Qatar 2022, when Muntari rose to head Ismaeel Mohammad’s cross into the net. Though the match ended in defeat, that moment was a milestone for Qatar as they began to build a record on the global stage.
Qatar’s record World Cup appearance makers
The trio of Abdelkarim Hassan, Boualem Khoukhi and Akram Afif were ever-present in Qatar’s sole World Cup appearance, each playing the full 270 minutes across the three matches against Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
